More than $1.2 million in Hawaii County grants was awarded to various Big Island nonprofits to maintain over 3,400 acres of conservation land.

The county’s Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission identifies lands around the county worthy of preservation and recommends grant funding to nonprofits to continue to steward those parcels.

The County Council on Wednesday approved 11 grants to eight nonprofits for a wide range of projects.

The single largest award went to the group Malama O Puna, which received $398,569 to steward over 150 acres of land in lower Puna stretching from Government Beach Road to the sea.

That grant will be used to develop a land stewardship plan and make security and access improvements to the parcel, called the Wai‘ele property.

Malama O Puna executive director Eileen O’Hara told the council on Wednesday that the Wai‘ele particularly needs anti-pig measures, as the ungulates are rampant in the area and tear apart vegetation.

“The property needs pig protection, and fencing an area this big is very expensive,” O’Hara said.

Read the full story @ https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2024/11/21/hawaii-news/ponc-funds-awarded-to-nonprofits-to-help-preserve-more-than-3400-acres/