PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

This page outlines a collective vision for Haiku Stairs, as a component of a cultural and ecological preserve and park in Haiku Valley. Much work has been done over the last four years, including neighborhood meetings, sessions with City planning consultants, and gatherings sponsored by the Ahupuaa Restoration Council of Hawaii. Please refer to the History section of this site for a summary listing of significant Haiku Stairs events leading up to where we are today.

VISION

The following vision is derived from numerous sources, and represents a consensus of viewpoints. Haiku Valley, as a cultural and ecological park and preserve, low key, attuned to an appreciation of plants, cultural sites, passive recreational uses, and cultural and educational uses. Daytime use only. Haiku Stairs, with a trail head within the valley, and complementing the cultural preserve and park by leading upward into primarily native plant habitat, with views into the valley and the entire, intact ahupuaa of Heeia, for which Haiku Valley is the mauka terminus and principle water source.

Climbers on the Stairs arrive and park at a trail head center in the valley at which there is a rest room, and educational, safety, and other information is available. Numbers of climbers are limited to the capacity of the Stairs. Information and programs include Hawaiian and modern history as related to the valley and Stairs, and interpretation of the significant views observable from the heights. Natural history is uniquely interpreted from the Stairs, illustrated by the variety of native plants, and the numerous themes of original arrival, speciation, and variation observable along its reach, and the geology and weather into which the climber is immersed.

ALTERNATIVES

Access

How best to provide access to the beginning of the climb on Haiku Stairs and into Haiku Valley?
• H-3 Service Road: Numerous options have been considered. One feasible way is to find an entry to this road remote from the Stairs and surrounding neighborhoods; hikers would walk the service road to the bottom of the Stairs. This is an option for near-term solution to access, once an agreement is made with the Hope Chapel land-owner for use of private access to the service road and adequate parking. Unfortunately, this option does not allow for such amenities as a trail head center and educational programs.
• Haiku Valley: Entering as did the traffic associated with the former US Coast Guard Station when it was open, which included over 20,000 Stairway climbers a year. The former pet quarantine station within the valley is close to the Stairs and has suitable buildings for a trail-head center. Parking is adequate for the anticipated numbers. A trail of use to the bottom of the Stairs needs to be improved.
• Other: Numerous other options for accessing the Stairs and valley by way of the H-3 service road have been explored. These have not revealed a fruitful alternative to reach the Stairs and valley, because of the limitation of bridges on the service road, lack of access to the road through private property, and difficult terrain.

Operations

To minimize environmental harm along the Stairs, to preserve the integrity of the structure itself, and to maintain a quality experience for climbers, the number of climbers on the Stairs at any one time should be kept to a suitable level. There are several options:
• Laissez faire. Don’t actively manage the number of climbers, and ask for restraint.
• Reservation system, or first-come, first-served limited by the number of climbers already on the Stairs and the maximum sustainable number of users.
• Fee for use of the Stairs. Set the fee so that the maximum sustainable number of users is not exceeded. Make allowances for children and educational programs.
• Combination. Some combination of the above to keep the fee affordable to most, while providing funds to maintain the facilities and to manage the number of users.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS

Opportunities
• Haiku Valley is largely undeveloped, with just sufficient infrastructure of roads and buildings to allow passive outdoor recreation, education, and cultural uses. The Quarantine Station buildings are structurally intact and sufficient for trail head rest rooms and an information center, as well as storage associated with maintenance.
• Although lower reaches of Haiku Valley are dominated by alien plants, the valley nonetheless has great promise for restoration, and has abundant native plant communities on the valley slopes and walls. The valley has exceptional interpretive value, and wonderful potential for hiking trails.
• There are abundant cultural and historic artifacts, structures, sites, and buildings in the valley. Haiku Stairs and Valley are eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
• Numerous nearby communities and educational institutions would be served by the park, preserve, and Stairs.
• The valley is an important water-shed, and the mauka terminus of the Ahupuaa of Heeia.
• Ownership of the valley and part of the Stairs is with Department of Hawaiian Homelands. As the valley is rough, high, and too expensive to develop, DHHL and the City are negotiating a land exchange. This would be beneficial to all concerned, as it will open up more home sites for DHHL, and it will allow the city to make the best feasible use of Haiku Valley, which is preservation, recreation, and education.

Constraints
• Ownership of the valley, until the exchange is consummated, will continue to be a road block. Other in-holdings and easements by Hawaiian Electric Company and Bishop Estate related to the access way need to be resolved. Access to the service road for interim use of the Stairs needs to be resolved.
• The Stairs are narrow, only 18 inches wide. Use is limited to the number that can safely climb, pass, and rest along the way. This number at a maximum is probably no larger than 150 a day or 75 to 100 at one time.
• To prevent ecological damage to the surrounding environment, Stair climbers must take care to pass without stepping onto surrounding plants and soil. Careless climbing, trash, and petty vandalism on the part of some people have been a problem in the past; that will need to be addressed.
• A certain number of people may continue sneaking in to avoid the management measures intended to reduce impacts on the community and Stairs.

THE FUTURE

• People drive into Haiku Valley as into other mountain parks on Oahu, for hiking, picnicking, cultural appreciation, or just to get away. Stair users turn off into a parking area and trail head.
• Rest rooms and water are available. A trail head center provides safety and procedural information and other resources on natural and cultural history. There are exhibits and programs. It is an informative environment in which to wait, if need be, for time to begin climbing
• Climbers check in for Haiku Stairs at the trail head center, then climb a short trail to the bottom of the Stairs, where a shelter and check point is manned.
• The Stairway contains safety, procedural, and informational signs to remind climbers of their responsibilities, and to provide information to enhance their understanding of the experience.
• Volunteers continue to deter alien plants by direct removal and by education of Stairway users not to track alien plant seeds from hike to hike. Most reaches of the Stairs and parts of Haiku Valley are returned to native plants.
• Programs are established in a number of areas related to the Stairs and valley for school classes, organized groups, and sign-up groups; these programs include education, cultural uses, and restoration.