News Release from Office of Mauna Kea Management

Hilo, Hawaii – The Office of Mauna Kea Management (OMKM), charged with the management of approximately 12,000 acres of State-owned land on Maunakea, continues to advance its mission to malama (take care of) Maunakea resources with the recent hiring of Lukela Ruddle as its Cultural Resource Program Manager.

In her new position, Ruddle’s responsibilities include assisting Kahu Ku Mauna with project reviews, policy development, community consultation, and implementation of the Comprehensive Management Plan, in particular, the Cultural Resources Management Plan. Ruddle will also initiate an educational campaign for cultural landscape preservation and a collection of the traditional, contemporary, and customary cultural practices on Maunakea.

“Lukela’s vast knowledge and problem-solving skills has already made her a key addition to the OMKM team. We are delighted to have her onboard and part of the OMKM team as we move forward with our management of the resources on Maunakea. Lukela will play a key role in providing and implementing high quality solutions and implementation of new programing,” said OMKM’s Director Stephanie Nagata.

“The job of a Cultural Resources Program Manager on Maunakea needs to be done. My desire is to contribute to the ongoing work of integrating a cultural view into meaningful management of the mountain,” said Ruddle. “I look forward to working with lineal descendants and persons having historical ties to Maunakea and developing culturally appropriate procedures and protocols.”

For fourteen years, Lukela served as an Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trustee Aide to Hannah Kihalani Springer and as OHA’s East Hawaii Community Resource Coordinator. She conducted community outreach, advocacy and community coalition building. Her working familiarity with county, state and federal laws enabled her to advise OHA on various matters and boosted the creation, review and implementation of OHA policies and programs. With this understanding of community needs and available public resources, Lukela also collaborated in drafting legislation, securing capital improvements funds and expanding programs to directly advance OHA beneficiaries.

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About Office of Mauna Kea Management

The Office of Mauna Kea Management is charged with day-to-day management of Mauna Kea Science Reserve as prescribed in the Master Plan. The adoption of the Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan by the University of Hawai’i Board of Regents in June 2000 marked a critical milestone in the management of Mauna Kea.

Meetings and public hearings spanning a period of nearly two years went into the formulation of the Master Plan, which established management guidelines for the next 20 years. The Master Plan reflected the community’s deeply rooted concerns over the use of Mauna Kea, including respect for Hawaiian cultural beliefs, protection of environmentally sensitive habitat, recreational use of the mountain, and astronomy research.

It places the focus of responsibility locally with the University of Hawaii at Hilo. The UH-Hilo Chancellor established the Office of Mauna Kea Management and the Board of Regents established the Mauna Kea Management Board in the fall of 2000. The Mauna Kea Management Board in turn formed Kahu Ku Mauna, a council comprised of Hawaiian cultural resource persons to serve as advisors.

The mission of the Office of Mauna Kea Management is to achieve harmony, balance and trust in the sustainable management and stewardship of Mauna Kea Science Reserve through community involvement and programs that protect, preserve and enhance the natural, cultural and recreational resources of Mauna Kea while providing a world-class center dedicated to education, research and astronomy.