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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, November 14, 2008

Meeting to focus on Ka'ena park camping

 •  State reassigns game official

By Eloise Aguiar

Hunters say they will take their complaints about a state game warden to Department of Land and Natural Resources chairwoman Laura H. Thielen at a public meeting Tuesday.

She said she's willing to listen at the appropriate time but will focus on a plan to allow "wilderness camping" at Ka'ena State Park.

The meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at YMCA Camp Erdman.

Thielen said the department and community members have been working on the plan for a while and think it's time for the community to give its input.

The discussion will focus on plans for Ka'ena State Park that include land from Mokule'ia to Wai'anae and Ka'ena Point, a natural area reserve.

Thielen said she will listen to the hunters but wants to spend the bulk of the meeting discussing the department's effort to coordinate management of the area, where multiple jurisdictions have led to confusion and frustration over rules and regulations.

Similar management coordination has been initiated at other state parks and Tuesday's meeting will discuss these efforts and how they can be applied to Ka'ena, she said.

One idea being tested on the Wai'anae end of the park is wilderness camping, where residents are allowed to bring in portable restrooms and some kind of protection from the elements.

"People don't want a comfort station because it drives more people to the area and they prefer the wilderness type of experience," Thielen said. "We have to take a look at whether we can manage that and is that something that would remain a wilderness camping experience for fishers and families as opposed to something that could rapidly get out of control."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.