For the past 10 years, the Maui Coastal Land Trust (MCLT) has been responsible for facilitating the permanent protection of more than 14,000 acres of land in Maui County from future subdivisions and developments. This success story began two decades ago when two environmental activists, Dale Bonar and his board of directors, decided to create the MCLT in order to save important Maui lands and sites. The MCLT works with state and private entities, raising funds, and acting with due diligence in managing these protections, conducting inspections, and ensuring that the terms of the agreements are met. The MCLT has been successful in preserving thousands of coastal acres in their natural state. These agreements reduce wealth taxes and allow land to be transmitted from generation to generation.
Cultural and historical values, water resources and wildlife habitat are all safeguarded by the MCLT. Enjoy this virtual tour of the Waiheʻe coastal dune and wetland refuge created by Maui Huliau students. The MCLT also facilitated the first community recycling initiative in Maui through the Maui Recycling Group, as well as helping to save several historic Maui sites from development, such as the Palauea area. The trust was also responsible for acquiring 227 acres of coastal dunes and wetlands that now make up the Waihe'e dune refuge, acquired by the trust in 2004 with a combination of federal and county funds, in addition to individual contributions. A few days before an art exhibition featuring a collection of MCLT works directly inspired by a decade of land conservation, the MCLT announced its merger with three other Hawaiian land trusts, forming a unified front and “ensuring a future for the conservation of public and private lands across the state.” While the land is privately owned and managed by the trust, there is an open-door policy that offers as much access as possible to the public. Project director Scott Fisher, land manager James Crowe, and educational coordinator Denby Freeland-Cole often bring groups of volunteers and schoolchildren to visit them, work the land, and learn. Bradford, a former psychotherapist who now divides her time between Maui and Minneapolis, continues to work with HILT as a member of the Maui Island Council. The Kauai Public Land Trust, the Oahu Land Trust, the Maui Coastal Land Trust, and the Island of Hawaii Land Trust have now merged into one entity.
This merger will ensure that these important lands will be preserved for generations to come. As a result of this unification, Maui has been chosen as the headquarters of this new group. The MCLT has been instrumental in protecting thousands of acres of coastal land in their natural state for over a decade. This includes reducing wealth taxes and allowing land to be passed down from generation to generation. Cultural values, water resources and wildlife habitats are all safeguarded by this trust.
In addition to this, they have also facilitated community recycling initiatives in Maui through the Maui Recycling Group. Furthermore, they have saved several historic sites from development such as Palauea area. The MCLT also acquired 227 acres of coastal dunes and wetlands that now make up the Waihe'e dune refuge. This was done with a combination of federal funds, county funds as well as individual contributions. Project director Scott Fisher, land manager James Crowe, educational coordinator Denby Freeland-Cole often bring groups of volunteers and schoolchildren to visit them, work on the land and learn about it. Bradford is a former psychotherapist who divides her time between Maui and Minneapolis while working with HILT as a member of the Maui Island Council. The MCLT has been successful in protecting these lands for over 10 years now.
They have also opened their doors to allow public access to these lands while ensuring that they are preserved for future generations.
