Hawaiʻi officials are putting the future of Maunakea in the community’s hands, inviting island residents to help shape how the summit is cared for and accessed in the decades ahead. The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, working with community partner Kua o Wākea, is rolling out a series of public workshops across the islands starting Thursday to gather input. That feedback will flow directly into a new Comprehensive Management Plan and an aspirational statement meant to guide access, conservation and governance of the mountain for generations.
Each workshop will dig into the draft Comprehensive Management Plan, the crafting of an aspirational statement, thorny questions around access, and the application of kānāwai (rules), with time reserved for questions and answers. Participation is free and preregistration is optional, and organizers are sharing preparatory handouts and resources ahead of time to help people come ready for deep conversation, as reported by Maui Now.
How and Where to Take Part
The authority plans 10 in-person workshops across Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, Kauaʻi and multiple communities on Hawaiʻi Island, with sessions beginning Thursday and continuing into February. The lineup includes Oʻahu meetings this week, a Maui workshop on Jan. 28, and a run of Hawaiʻi Island sessions in February. The full schedule and preregistration form are posted on the project website. For those who cannot attend in person, the sessions will also be livestreamed for statewide participation, according to the Maunakea Observatories.
Who Will Decide
The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority was created by the Legislature in 2022 and is made up of 11 members that include Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners, scientists, educators and government representatives. The board has been meeting as it builds out a strategic framework and management plan that will eventually replace the university’s management role, as outlined by DLNR.
Timeline and Legal Frame
Act 255 of 2022 set a five-year transition period for transferring certain Maunakea management responsibilities to MKSOA, with a target handover date of July 1, 2028, unless the Board of Land and Natural Resources approves an earlier transfer. The University and state agencies will stay involved during the transition while the authority develops its administrative rules and the Comprehensive Management Plan, as described by the University of Hawaiʻi.
Officials and Community Voices
Authority and community leaders say they want a broad cross-section of island voices shaping what comes next. Executive Director John De Fries has framed the workshops as a chance to ensure decisions reflect diverse perspectives, and MKSOA First Vice Chair Noenoe Wong-Wilson has described the sessions as an exercise in listening and responsibility for the mauna, according to Hawaii News Now.
For anyone who cannot make it into a meeting room, the authority will stream the workshops on YouTube and post materials online. Organizers are urging residents who care about access, cultural practice, conservation or science on Maunakea to plug in however they can. The full schedule, preregistration links and educational handouts are available at Kua o Wākea.
