OHA’s Wahiawā Lands
The Kūkaniloko Birthstones is one of the most sacred sites in Hawaiʻi. The five-acre site is the piko (center, naval cord) of Oʻahu where the highest-ranking aliʻi (royalty) were historically born. These stones and the surrounding areas were places of learning for kahuna (experts), lua (martial arts), kilo (observations) and other cultural practices.
In 2012, OHA acquired the 511 acres surrounding Kūkaniloko to protect and preserve the site by providing a buffer against development and ensuring that future uses of the area are consistent with Hawaiian cultural values.
Check this website for updates on the planning process, including notices of the public meetings and other opportunities to provide input. Any input or questions can be submitted to wahiawalands@oha.org.
Conceptual Master Plan
Completed in 2018, OHA’s Conceptual Master Plan (CMP) for its Wahiawā Lands identifies the following goals for the property:
- Protect the Birthstones Site;
- Explore appropriate agriculture;
- Contribute to food security; and
- Preserve open space and watershed lands.
OHA currently manages these lands and regularly engages and solicits input from The Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā, the longtime stewards of the Kūkaniloko Birthstones site.
Executive Summary of the Conceptual Master Plan
Wahiawa Lands Report - PDF Format
Current Management and CMP Implementation Activities
- Continued Community Engagement: OHA continues to consult and work with community advisors, including the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā and ‘Āina Kaiaulu on management activities and the implementation of the community-developed conceptual master plan. These partners hold regular community workdays and escorted visits to the birthstones, ensuring continued and restored relationship between our communities and our lands.
- Vegetation Continuum Development: Through its community partnerships, OHA is prioritizing the development and implementation of the Vegetation Continuum through intentional re-vegetation of the 511 acres, assessing soil remediation and various vegetation typologies including native reforestation, agro-forestry and compatible agriculture. In 2023, OHA successfully applied for and has been awarded $2.2 million in grant funding via the FY24 Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program to create a sustainable buffer through reforestation, community food and water security, climate resilience through native species recovery, and the perpetuation of traditional ecological knowledge and other cultural traditions.
- Vegetation Clearing and Maintenance: OHA contracts for invasive grass and tree removal to clear overgrowth and open access roads. As a result of a fire on site in August 2023, OHA expanded the property’s perimeter road through increased vegetation clearing to create a widened fire break. OHA is also contracting a Forest Manager to better protect the property from fire through the development of a Fire Mitigation Plan.
Brief Summary of OHA’s Wahiawā Lands
- Location:
- Ahupuaʻa of Kamananui
- Moku of Waialua
- Mokupuni of Oʻahu
- Wahiawā, Oʻahu
- Acquired: 2012
- Size: 511 acres
- Zoning: Agricultural, conservation easement
- OHA Investment: $3 million, part of a larger $25-million purchase of 1,718 acres Galbraith Estate
- Tenure and use: Owned fee simple
- Acquisition Objectives:
- To explore the development of compatible agricultural uses and other programmatic initiatives.
- To contribute to Hawaiʻi’s food self-sufficiency, preservation of open space and watershed lands and overall community planning goals for central Oʻahu
- To protect Kūkaniloko by providing a buffer against future incompatible development in the area.
- Features: Surrounding the Kūkaniloko Birthstones cultural and historical site
- Access: The Kūkaniloko Birthstones site has been closed out of precaution due to Covid-19. For additional information regarding access, contact Site Stewards, the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā (HCCW), at kukaniloko.org
- Cultural and Historical Information: OHA Kūkaniloko Informational Sheet
