About Na Pali

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The Problems

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Hawaii state agency responsible for the care of the park, has had their budget slashed to less than $7 million. Approximately $700,000 of that is budgeted for the repair and maintenance of 70 parks spread over 27,000 acres in Hawaii, or just $25.93 per acre. Compared to what the State of Hawaii spends bringing in visitors through The Hawaii Tourism Authority, which received $61 million in 2002, one can see the plight facing so many parks. Please note graph (information courtesy of DLNR & HTA).

Life-long mariners like Paddy Boy Malama say the years have not been kind to the sea life along Na Pali. State Parks archaeologist Alan Carpenter says another big problem facing Na Pali is the impact of illegal, "outlaw" campers who make long stays in Kalalau Valley and other sections of Na Pali. These illegal campers, he says, continually come from across the globe to find that little piece of paradise, in turn destroying and rearranging archeological sites and leaving behind untold tons of abandoned campsites and trash in the farthest extremes of Na Pali. The Legislature passed a law during the 2002 session that adds teeth to the fines State Parks can impose for illegal camping. This allows the State Parks enforcement officers to confiscate illegal camp sites and remove them. But any removal in such an inhospitable location is an expensive process that takes away from the desperately needed projects. Wayne Souza, Head of DLNR, Kauai, says that helicopter time is costing $650.00 per hour. It takes approx: one hour to do one sling load out of the valleys. Add the cost of personal and transporting the garbage from Kokee to Kekaha and one can see how expensive illegals can be.

Working together so much has been accomplished yet we have only begun. Please join us in our efforts to preserve one of the world’s most precious resources.

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