Pu'u O Hoku Ranch
Thousands of East Molokai Acres to Remain Open
Pu`u O Hoku Ranch Donates Development Rights
The largest and most stunning easement agreement in the history of the Maui Coastal Land Trust (MCLT) was quietly completed in December, 2007. 2,800 acres of East Molokai's Pu`u O Hoku Ranch will remain forever in open space and agriculture thanks to a conservation easement agreement between MCLT and ranch owner Lavinia Currier.
"Ms. Currier has acted upon her passionate commitment to protect and preserve the lands at Pu`u O Hoku Ranch," said MCLT Executive Director Dale Bonar. "In this agreement, she has extinguished almost all development rights on the 2800 acres by conveying them to the trust in the form of a conservation easement."
The protected lands lie along the southeastern slope of the island both mauka and makai of Kamehameha V Highway encompassing over 3 miles of shoreline, pasturelands and hillsides climbing to the edge of the Molokai Forest Reserve. Pu`u O Hoku Ranch will continue to own and work the land in an ecologically sensitive manner continuing their efforts in organic farming and cattle ranching.
Pu`u O Hoku Ranch conveyed a similar easement with MCLT in 2006 to protect 87 coastal acres adjacent to Pohakupili Bay. "My children, our manager and staff at Pu`u O Hoku, and our neighbors on the east end have all contributed to support my vision to preserve these beautiful lands of Molokai." said Currier. "We are fortunate to be working within several intact ahupua'a and watershed systems which we hope not only to preserve in open space but to restore to a healthy natural habitat for future generations. We look forward to our continued collaboration with MCLT to accomplish that goal."
To support MCLT's ongoing responsibilities to monitor the activities in the easement areas, the Ranch will donate $ 75,000 to the MCLT stewardship endowment fund.
Pu`u O Hoku Ranch encompasses 13,000 acres at Molokai's east end. It has remained intact since the original royal land grant in the 1800's to Paul Fagan. Currier purchased Pu`u O Hoku Ranch in 1987 from George Murphy who maintained the land in cattle ranching since the 1950s. Archeological studies of the area are sparse, but eastern Molokai supported thriving Hawaiian communities prior to western contact. All documented sites will continue to be protected including "Ulukukui o Lanikaula" the sacred kukui grove said to be the burial place of the famous 16th century Hawaiian prophet Lanikaula.
This project was funded by a grant from the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. Go to Western SARE website