KC3 Research Essay: The Preservation of Hawaiian Land

         From geological features that are unlike any other place on earth to distinctive marine and terrestrial plants and animals which are unique to the islands, Hawaii contains many distinctive natural resources. Its important to do what we can to protect and preserve the islands and the many rarities that are apart of it. While things today are being done to preserve and protect Hawaiian land, we should continue to have more systems put in place to insure that the land is well protected. Throughout Hawaiian history, the land has always remained sacred to its people. The Native Hawaiians had such a respect for the land that they had, what felt like to them, a personal connection to the land.   
          The Native Hawaiians had an admirable amount of respect for the land, and they showed this in almost everything that they did. They believed that if one took care of the land, the land would in turn care for them. They had systems put in place to insure that the land was well respected. The Ahupua’a system was one of these well thought out systems, it was the land division from mountain to sea. In more detail, the Ahupua’a system said that it was essential to care for the land, and that the relationship between the land and its people was a symbiotic one, in which if the people gave back to the land, the land would always supply them with what they needed. I believe this system was an effective one, it provided a foundation for a more harmonious way of living. If we followed the examples set by the Ahupua’a system, it would lead to having a more sustainable community.          
         Although the respectful mindset for the land has much faded, some is still being done to preserve the land. According to the Hawaii State Department of Land Resources, the statewide Natural Area Reserves System presently consists of 20 reserves on five islands, encompassing 123,431 acres of the state’s most unique ecosystems. This system of reserves was created to insure that the special landmarks of Hawaii were protected, both for the enjoyment of future generations, and to provide base lines against changes which are being made in the environments of Hawaii can be measured. Its important to protect the land on a large scale, and we should continue to have these systems put in place. Currently, the management teams of NARS are working to control the growth of non-native plants and animals which threaten the existence of the native life on the reserves. All should be done to protect the native species of Hawaii, and with the right amount of effort, this could be very successful.
         Creating and sustaining these systems to protect Hawaiian land isn't always the easiest thing. In a project constructed by the Plant Habitat Management team of the Hawaii State Department of Natural Resources, there was an attempt to work on fencing protected areas to keep animals (i.e. pigs, goats, deer, etc.) out of areas of native plants. Occasionally, some of these animals get through the fences. Although this can cause uncertainty within the management team of the project, it isn't an issue that should prevent them from further advancing their projects. Over the last century, over 272 native plants have been added to the endangered list, and the numbers continue to rise. This is why it is important to protect and preserve our native species, its very easy for these plants to go extinct. If we provide these native species the right conditions, they could flourish, and we could restore a part of the land.   
          Living in Hawaii, we have the wonderful opportunity of experiencing things that we would not be able to experience anywhere else. But we can't take this for granted. If we don't take responsibility and care for the land, all that we have to adore will be lost. This is why it is important to preserve Hawaiian land, and to protect the land's native species. Adding more land reserves and continuing our involvement with programs that protect our native species is one way in which we can go about caring for the land.