Print this page (pdf file)

While the flocks of tourists are accommodated in vacation housing and shopping enclaves, Hawaii's remaining undeveloped beaches draw them to the islands. Maha'ulepu is one such place, a beautiful and quiet retreat where local residents and visitors alike seek solace, serenity and sweeping views.

Maha'ulepu — long used by residents for subsistence fishing, diving, gathering and hunting — is a recreational haven for hiking beach combing, family picnics, camping, horseback riding, prime windsurfing and kite sailing. It has been described as a "living museum," encompassing over 5 million years of Kauai's natural and human history, including fossil remains and archaeological sites.

Native plants and endangered animals, including reclusive cavedwelling species and the Nene goose, Hawaii's state bird, make Maha'ulepu their home. Offshore, you can find endangered species such as humpback whales, green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals. Recent plantings of rare native plants inspire further ecological restoration.

This jewel is the last accessible undeveloped coastal area on Kaua'i's south shore, but the future of Maha'ulepu is uncertain. Grove Farm Company, the land owner, has expressed their desire to develop an exclusive hotel and golf resort. Grove Farm allows open access to the public during the daytime, and the public has benefited immensely from this policy.

Yet, development of this land would irrevocably alter the natural experience of Maha`ulepu. Keeping Maha'ulepu a wild coastal preserve would protect wildlife, sustain Hawaiian culture and values, and provide critically needed open space between two rapidly urbanizing areas for future generations.

To help Sierra Club and local conservationists permanently protect Maha'ulepu, please contact Beryl Blaich at (808) 828-1438 or blaich@aloha.net; and Marge Freeman at (808) 822-4605, freeman@aloha.net.