The Trust for Public Land has transferred the ownership of Pōhue Bay to the National Park Service, which makes 16,451 acres of land now part of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
According to a report, the land will now be under the protection and management of the NPS.
“Aloha ‘āina begins with our commitment to preserving our islands’ precious natural and cultural systems,” Lea Hong, associate vice president and Hawaiian Islands state director at the Trust for Public Land, said.
“We are grateful the National Park Service will steward the area with the support of the community, ensuring the history, culture, and natural beauty of this place are protected for future generations,” a statement from the NPS reads.
The land extends from Mamalahoa Highway, also known as the Hawai’i Belt Road, all the way to the shoreline in the southern part of the Big Island.
In addition to transferring Pōhue Bay and the surrounding land to NPS, the Trust for Public Land also donated $800,000 to Friends of Volcanoes National Park, which will be used to care for Pōhue Bay.
Over the years, there was discussion of developing resorts on the land surrounding Pōhue Bay, but community members opposed it. Now that the NPS manages the land, the historic sites and wildlife protected in the area will be conserved and protected in the parks system.
“Pōhue is an incredibly precious and culturally significant landscape that needs to be protected. We are actively seeking community feedback to get a better understanding of the natural and cultural resources in the area,” Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh said in the release.
The area will remain closed to visitors until the plans to ensure the protection of the 16,451 acres are finalized.
This story originally appeared on Thrillist.