Two Maui legislators and members of Maui's Native Hawaiian community launched an educational effort Friday to push a bill that would establish regional councils to advise the government and the public on cultural environmental practices.

At a news conference last week in Wailuku, Rep. Mele Carroll and Sen. J. Kalani English along with three speakers unveiled the bill that calls for the creation of 'Aha Moku Councils to be established for nine Hawaiian islands, including Kahoolawe, Niihau and Molokini.

The councils would include knowledgeable kupuna, or elders, along with skilled farmers and fishermen who are familiar with the environment.

"This legislation calls for perpetuation and preservation of the knowledge of practitioners and the restoration of healthy ecosystems through furtherance of the ahupua'a management system," said Carroll, author of the House bill. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by English.

An ahupua'a is an ancient Hawaiian land division system that contained strips of land extending from the mountain to the ocean floor. The ahupua'a supported a self-contained ola, or "life-giving" community.