EDITORIAL
Waimea Falls Park serves all of us

In an era when so many things just don't seem to go right, it is heartening and exciting to hear the news from Waimea Falls Park on O'ahu's North Shore.

As reported by staff writer Karen Blakeman, the former tourist attraction has renewed itself under the National Audubon Society.

The city is in the process of purchasing the park through condemnation and is prepared to give the Audubon Society a long management lease once the purchase is complete.

Previous operators of the park always included as part of their attraction a collection of rare Hawaiian plants. But that was not enough to drive visitor numbers to the point where the park was profitable.

So other attractions, ranging from tram rides and cliff diving to off-road vehicle excursions, were offered.

This, argued critics, moved the park more and more away from its primary purpose.

Under Audubon, a variety of native plants and animals, many of them endangered, have been flourishing.

The park has become almost literally a pu'u honua, or place of refuge or sanctuary, for Hawai'i's endangered plants and animals.

Botanists and other specialists from around the state come to Waimea to shelter endangered species, or to take cuttings or seeds to repropagate rare specimens elsewhere.

The importance of the park extends far beyond its borders. It is a place where the natural history of Hawai'i is preserved, protected and shared. It is a guardian of a legacy that belongs to all of us.

Those who appreciate the importance of this park should make a point of visiting it, supporting it financially and — if interested — volunteering to help with its upkeep and restoration.