Two hundred years ago, the trade in sandalwood was a tragic chapter in Hawaiian history. It devastated upland forests across the archipelago and forced native people into involuntary servitude. In the last few months, the sandalwood trade has been rejuvenated … Continued
“The Ranch needed the purchase price to pay its other creditors.” That quote, taken from a footnote to Jawmin’s statement opposing Hokukano Ranch’s motion asking the bankruptcy court to stop Jawmin’s logging operations, sheds some light on possible motives for … Continued
Pacific Rim Bank, which holds several mortgages secured by Hokukano Ranch land, is one of the newest lending institutions in Honolulu, having been founded in 2006. Its young age is not the only thing setting it apart from more established … Continued
When it came time to choose, the Kekaha committee of the state Agribusiness Development Corporation went with the renewable energy project that would directly benefit its Kekaha lands and farmers over the one that could have benefitted the rest of … Continued
The 18th annual Hawai`i Conservation Conference had a broader scope this year. With the theme “Pacific Ecosystem Management & Restoration: Applying Traditional and Western Knowledge Systems,” those who attended were given an opportunity to explore how native Hawaiian and Polynesian … Continued
Land Board Adds Kulani Forest to Pu`u Maka`ala Reserve Adding some 6,000 acres of pristine native forest to the state’s Pu`u Maka`ala Natural Area Reserve was a no-brainer. Transferring about 600 acres that were part of the former Kulani prison … Continued
The November 17 deadline for completion of 385 units of affordable housing at the Villages of `Aina Le`a is fast approaching. And, to judge from all appearances, there is no possible way it can be met. In late August, the … Continued
Valuing Trees: How much is standing timber worth? According to the Jawmin bankruptcy filings (see the article elsewhere in this issue), the value of the trees is more than two and a half times that of the land: $23 million versus … Continued
In the late 1980s, the longline fishing industry in Hawaiian waters exploded. And at practically the same time, the population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) that reside around the Main Hawaiian Islands began a spectacular decline. Coincidence? The answer … Continued
They may be the spitting image of their distant cousins found in warm waters across the globe, but the false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) that live around the Main Hawaiian Islands are so different that they constitute a so-called “distinct … Continued