Hawaii historic sites in danger of disappearing forever

A new report released today by independent research and science-policy think-tank the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) utilizes case studies on U.S. historic sites to illustrate the dramatic and immediate threat that human-created climate change poses.

The UCS hopes that by drawing attention to these endangered historic sites, the case studies in this report will help facilitate necessary changes in policy as it relates to climate change.

“As this report illustrates, climate change is no longer a distant threat for others to worry about,” reads the introduction. “The consequences are already under way, forcing federal and state agencies, park managers, archaeologists, historic preservationists, engineers, architects, and others to spend time and resources to protect sites today and prepare for expected additional changes tomorrow.”

The two endangered sites on Hawaii Island are the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, located less than 4 miles south of Kealakekua Bay, and the Koloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, home to ancient Hawaiian fish ponds and traps. Both are in danger of disappearing within our lifetime as a result of rising sea levels and worsening storm surge.

“A coastal hazard analysis, carried out for the National Park Service by scientists from Stanford University and the University of Hawaiʻi, identified the Kaloko fishpond, the ‘Ai‘ōpio fish trap, and the ‘Aimakapā fishpond as among the [Koloko-Honokohau ] park’s historic features most at risk from coastal hazards,” reads the report.

“The beach in front of the ‘Aimakapā fishpond, which was used to raise fish for the royal chiefs and may be more than 600 years old, is currently eroding at a rate of three to four inches per year,” continues the report. “Because the beach separates the pond from the ocean, if this rate of change continues, the number of times the beach is overtopped by waves each year will likely increase; the pond could be breached altogether by 2050. Similarly, the walls of the ‘Ai‘ōpio fish trap could be completely submerged by the end of the century.”

Meanwhile at Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, the National Park Service has identified the great wall, along with the ‘Āle‘ale‘a Heiau temple site, other structures in the pu‘uhonua and two historic sections of trail, as among the park’s cultural resources most vulnerable to sea level rise.

“The ‘Āle‘ale‘a Heiau is a stone platform within the pu‘uhonua that is thought to have been built as part of the sacred refuge but then became a place where chiefs relaxed and watched hula dancing. These and other irreplaceable cultural resources are located in low-lying areas of the park that have repeatedly been damaged by storm surges and flooding in the past,” according to the report.

Behind the pu‘uhonua, rising some 2,158 meters above sea level, Mauna Loa is home to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration observatory that has been documenting atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since 1958. On March 9, 2013, the daily mean concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million for the first time in human history.

“If [carbon] emissions were cut significantly and quickly, it would slow the pace of sea level rise, limit the temperature increases we know are coming and slow the growth of the wildfire season,” said Angela Anderson, director of the Climate and Energy Program at UCS.

In addition, UCS concluded that Congress should fund the president’s proposed Climate Resilience Fund, which could be used to help municipalities and businesses become more resilient to climate change.

“The fund could also be used to help protect and preserve the nation’s iconic and historical landmarks and irreplaceable archeological treasures that are being destroyed by sea level rise, wildfire and flooding,” said Anderson.

“The treasured places cited in this report are all subject to increased risks from climate change, such as extreme storms, hotter temperatures, and more frequent and severe floods, droughts, and wildfires,” concludes the report. “These impacts, of course, are not limited to the cultural and historical resources selected for this report but also are being felt in most cities and towns across the country. Therefore just as the people responsible for maintaining parks, monuments, and landmarks are planning ahead, so can local communities. Reducing carbon pollution by burning fewer fossil fuels will give us more time to prepare and adapt, while possibly preventing the worst aspects of climate change.”