By Kumu Lynette Cruz and Laurie Moore
Across Hawai‘i, lands with deep cultural roots and military histories are now at the center of a transformative conversation — one that calls for a more collaborative and thoughtful approach to stewardship. These places have shaped Hawai‘i’s past and continue to influence its future. As we navigate the complex future of lands with cultural and military significance, a model of care is emerging, one that recognizes that land/ʻāina has life and our kuleana to the life of that land is paramount.
The state of Hawaiʻi has recognized this kuleana in its motto: Ua ma ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono: The life of the land is preserved in righteousness. Our model of care, specifically co-management of ʻāina, is reflected in the State’s understanding of its importance, an old model made new. We may be late in recognizing our kuleana together, but we are here now and our path is clearer.
Co-management offers a framework for shared kuleana, a partnership built on mutual respect, reciprocity, and co-equal stewardship. It brings together federal agencies and local partners such as nonprofits, Native Hawaiian organizations, community groups, and state agencies to jointly manage land and natural resources. More than just local input, co-management represents a structure of shared decision-making, authority, responsibility, and vision. This approach affirms the lived expertise, generational knowledge, indigenous wisdom, and cultural responsibility of local communities, positioning them as true partners in shaping land-use priorities and protocols.
This model also invites a mindset shift in which cultural and environmental values are integrated from the start, rather than added after the fact, and where all parties have a real voice in the decision-making. When done in a pono way, co-management fosters authentic relationships grounded in transparency, accountability and shared goals.
From Kahoʻolawe to Mākua Valley, Hawai‘i’s history is filled with lands that carry the weight of both conflict and culture. Many areas once used for military training or operations are also places of deep cultural and ecological significance – home to sacred sites, endangered species, and traditional subsistence practices. The concept of co-management offers a path forward that honors this layered legacy and centers community stewardship based on Hawaiian cultural practices as an integral part of restoration and care.
In practice, co-management can take many forms. Imagine a partnership where a Native Hawaiian nonprofit co-leads site planning, educational access, and ceremonial protocols; a federal or state agency manages infrastructure, liability, and long-term environmental remediation; and both parties work on broader land-use policy, resource enforcement, and community integration. The result is a joint management agreement in which no single entity holds unilateral control, and decisions reflect all voices, but always a thriving life, as ʻāina, itself, is the primary measuring factor of good management.
Successful models of co-management already exist in Hawai‘i and beyond, and their principles offer valuable guidance:
- Incorporate traditional ecological knowledge in protecting native species and habitats
- Engage local communities in restoration efforts that reconnect people to place
- Ensure management strategies are aligned with cultural values and long-term
- sustainability
These agreements are typically anchored by memoranda of understanding or formal agreements, supported by shared governance structures and a long-term commitment to collaboration. What emerges is not simply a compromise, but rather a stronger, more resilient partnership built on trust, mutual learning and a shared vision for the land’s future. As we imagine what restoration and stewardship look like for lands once shaped by military use, co-management offers, as a start, a meaningful way to move forward together. It invites community stewards, federal and state agencies, and leaders at all levels to engage with humility, openness, and a sense of shared purpose.
When kuleana is shared, the land thrives, and so do the people who care for it.