Pūpūkahi i holomua.
Unite to move forward.
Right now, the Hele Mauna Trail is an idea, a vision of what could be. To turn it into reality, we need people with knowledge, skills, and passion to guide us in the right direction. We are currently building a board of volunteers with a variety of talents and wisdom to help us determine what is feasible, realistic, and right.
Aloha kākou, my name is Kealiʻi Thoene. I am a naturalist, a writer, a surfer, a Native Hawaiian, and an advocate for a future where every person who steps foot on these islands recognizes that the life of the people and the life of the ʻāina are one and the same.
I was born in Kona and spent my childhood between Maui and the Island of Hawaiʻi until high school when I flew to the big city to attend Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama. Itching for a taste of the world, I attended the University of San Francisco and spent the next decade jumping between jobs and countries. With each passing year, however, one thing became clearer and clearer--there’s no place in the world like Hawaiʻi. I returned home in 2015 with a new perspective, determined to learn as much as I could and contribute to the safeguarding of these precious islands.
I started off working as a Naturalist Guide for Hawaiʻi Forest & Trail, weaving moʻolelo, geology, and biology into a comprehensive image for thousands of visitors each year. In 2018, I helped launch the company’s Oʻahu branch and served as manager until the Covid-19 pandemic halted operations.
Like so many others, I found myself suddenly out of work and decided to use this time for some deep reflection. I was burnt out from working in the tourism industry, tired of constantly trying to convince myself that pouring my heart and soul into leading impactful tours would make these visitors care and want to give back. It didn’t take me very long to realize that if I really wanted to make a difference and feel good about it, my attention needed to be on the land and the Hawaiian people first.
Curator
While everyone is welcome and everyone can benefit from the Hele Mauna Trail, this trail is - at its foundation - for and by Native Hawaiians. We have a deep history in these islands, but we are a living, evolving people. The ʻāina aloha Huliau Action Agenda said it best, “ that Indigenous perspectives, insights, and genealogical connections to place are essential to ensuring environmental vibrancy and community cohesion.” We are seeking an advisor to ensure we are pono with our perspectives, insights, connections and actions as a Native Hawaiian community executing a project of this caliber.
Trail Planning & Logistics
The trail’s route has not yet been determined. We are seeking someone with experience in trail planning and development and knowledge of private and public lands on the Island of Hawaii to guide us to the path of least resistance.
Biocultural Restoration Specialist
What do our opportunities for biocultural restoration look like? We are looking for an advisor, perhaps from the world of academia, research science, or conservation, to connect us to the big ideas that may help guide the trail toward becoming an entity that helps us achieve the IUCN Hawaiʻi Commitments.
Legal Advisor(s)
We need someone who understands the legal processes and procedures relating to land access, land use, easements, and conservation development. This person would show us what is feasible under current land ownership.
National Park Liaison
Ideally, the Hele Mauna Trail experience would include areas of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and potentially other National Historic Sites. We would love a park employee to be our point of contact into the process of incorporating these two aligned missions.