Hawaiian Islands Land Trust Hawaiian Islands Land Trust The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT) is a non-profit organization established in Hawaii to “protect the lands that sustain us for current and future generations". The organization works with landowners to protect important areas by restricting commercial or other development. This protection is provided either by the landowner accepting a conservation easement on the land or by selling the land to HILT. In January 2011, HILT was formed from the merger of the Kauai Public Land Trust, the Oahu Land Trust, the Maui Coastal Land Trust, and the Hawaii Island Land Trust. HILT protects multiple properties
Rulers of the Hawaiian Islands Rulers of the Hawaiian Islands The rulers of the Hawaiian islands ("noho aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina") are a line of native Hawaiians who were independent rulers of various subdivisions of the land and islands of Hawaii. Their genealogy is traced to Hānalaʻanui and others. The caste system of ancient Hawaiian society was established around 1200 AD and separated the people into 4 distinct ranks that were all below the supreme ruler ("ali‘i nui") of the island. The "ali‘i nui" would distribute the land to the lower ranking chiefs who would run the land and collect offerings and taxes.