06/12/2026
PBR HAWAII was honored to have Senior VP Catie Cullison and Planner Makena Bassett attend and present at the National Outdoor Recreation Conference (NORC) in Duluth, Minnesota. Makena was also a recipient of the Society of the Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP) New Professional Scholarship.
The conference provided an opportunity to engage with outdoor recreation professionals from across the country, exchange ideas, and explore innovative approaches to planning, stewardship, and community engagement. We are proud to have contributed to the conference discourse through a presentation on the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Interpretive Plan, delivered alongside project lead, Jackson Bauer of Nā Ala Hele and team members Julie Davis of 106 Group and Lokelani Brandt of
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile corridor on Hawaiʻi Island that encompasses a network of ancient, historic, and modern trails. Spanning a complex mosaic of land ownership and management, the trail presents unique challenges and opportunities for stewardship, access, interpretation, and cultural preservation.
Our presentation shared how the project team moved beyond conventional planning approaches and embraced a process grounded in Hawaiian ways of learning: centering relationships, respect, and intentional listening. Through this work, the team developed an interpretive plan focused on reconnecting people, history, culture, and place. The session explored how planning can move beyond traditional jurisdictional boundaries, elevate community knowledge, and recognize trail corridors as layered landscapes shaped by generations of stories, practices, and stewardship.
Mahalo nui to SORP and NORC for creating opportunities to learn from and contribute to a nationwide community of outdoor recreation professionals. We are grateful to support projects that honor place, foster meaningful connections, and help steward Hawaiʻi’s unique cultural and natural resources for future generations.
E mau ko kākou hele ma nā ala i maʻa i ka hele ʻia e ko kākou mau mākua.
May our journey continue on the paths well worn by the footsteps of our ancestors.