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For far too long, we have forgotten the basic truth that our lives and the aina are inextricably intertwined.

Contaminate our aquifer, and . Let invasive species , and the groundwater our keiki and moopuna will need to survive and thrive will disappear. Pave over our agricultural lands, , and our future generations may be unable to feed each other when the imports stop coming in.

Time-tested Kānaka ʻŌiwi reflect our kuleana to carefully steward the aina that previous, current, and future generations have depended and will continue to depend upon. Unfortunately, in today’s society, we are clearly not upholding our end of this existential bargain.

To be clear, Hawaii has many unique and strong environmental protections and rights embodied in our constitution and statutes. However, year after year, our government invests a relative pittance in state funding for our environmental agencies, rendering them both unable to fulfill their respective missions, and ever more vulnerable to political interference and influence.

Concerns have been raised about the lack of support for land and water management, which some believe led to the widespread invasive grasses that fed the fires last August.

The tragic loss of human life in Lahaina may now be compounded by the spread of across the landscape and into the ocean, threatening both aina and human health for generations to come.

We cannot allow similar tragedies to happen, and the incalculable losses from the Lahaina conflagration illustrate how nearly any amount of government investment in land management and attendant fire prevention would be well worth the cost.

The benefits of re-remembering our connection to aina through the proper funding of environmental stewardship can go far beyond the prevention of wildfires, however.

Funds that can help implement our water code in a more timely manner will ensure that the public interest in our public trust water resources comes first — including in healthy and fire-resistant native ecosystems, , as well as in traditional, regenerative agriculture that has fed, , a million people or more.

Funding that can meaningfully take back our native watersheds from invasive species will enhance needed for fire prevention and suppression, and for the drinking water and recreational, cultural, economic, and other needs of future generations.

Greater investments in fisheries management and loko ia restoration, particularly when driven by cultural practitioners, can expand and perpetuate the presence and lifestyles of Kānaka ʻŌiwi communities dedicated to protecting aina, including from fire risks — while also restoring abundance to the nearshore waters that are a source of .

We can no longer ignore the basic fact that the conditions of our existence has been and will continue to be shaped by our stewardship, or lack thereof, of these islands we call home. As a society we can no longer abdicate our fundamental duty to the aina and by extension, to our children and future generations.

As an individual, please consider accepting our generation’s kuleana to provide a hopeful and resilient future for our keiki. If you consider Hawaii your home, , and ask that they prioritize the ongoing investment of resources necessary to truly steward our aina, and break the pattern of neglect that has plagued our islands for far too long.