The Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden tops a Hawaii County commission’s latest list of recommended land purchases.
The Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission’s 2016 report, sent to Mayor Harry Kim on Dec. 30, recommends the purchase of a conservation easement for more than 8 acres of the 15-acre garden, which closed a year ago and is for sale.
The South Kona garden hosts a collection of Hawaiian plants, including those that are rare and endangered.
The report says anticipated uses would be education and tours.
The garden is owned by the Bishop Museum, but following the closure, the Friends of Amy Greenwell Garden received nonprofit status in hopes of stewarding the property. The group couldn’t be reached for comment by deadline.
The PONC program is funded with 2 percent of the county’s annual property tax revenue.
Purchases are approved by the Hawaii County Council.
In 2015-2016, the county used the fund to purchase 26.762 acres along Pohoiki Bay for $1.6 million; 13 acres in Naalehu for $170,000; and 3,127.95 acres in Kahuku for $1.2 million.
Other recommendations in the latest report are: Hapu’u to Kapanai‘a cultural corridor (North Kohala), 161 acres;
Mahukona (North Kohala), 433 acres;
Halelua (North Kohala), 50 acres;
Pohue Bay (Ka‘u), 16,456 acres;
Hakalau Valley (South Hilo), 83 acres;
Lamaloloa (North Kohala), 35 acres;
Keawenui (North Kohala), 166 acres
Kukuipahu to Ha‘ena corridor (North Kohala), 1,575 acres;
Haleohiu homesteads (North Kona), 8 acres
To view the full report, visit http://tinyurl.com/2016ponc.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.