Tourism has surpassed the oil industry to claim distinction as the single largest revenue producer in the world today. In an effort to carve a niche into this rewarding market, governments and private developers everywhere are intensifying their efforts to attract visitors; the most successful operators are those who base their activities on this all-important premise: Creative environments sell destination resorts. True creativity calls for taking the natural attributes of the environment and blending them with man's handiwork- the Landscape Architect's expertise" in such a way that the end result is extraordinarily pleasing. This artistry calls for comprehensive planning, particularly at a time when prime holiday location destinations are becoming more and more sensitive to the problems tourism engenders along with the benefits it brings. A regulated master plan based on a predetermined "carrying capacity" will reflect optimum ability of the land and natural environment to accommodate man-made development; this necessitates devising ways to accommodate visitors in such a way that they do not destroy, by overcrowding or by overuse, the destination resort's natural amenities and its unique cultural attributes" the very things the visitor wants to experience. Destination resorts can and should be developed in such a way that they serve as a means for enhancing natural assets such as spectacular views and white sand beaches, and preserving distinctive cultural characteristics. Perhaps more than most, the people of the Hawaiian Islands appreciate the wisdom of protecting and preserving their natural resources. Tourism is vital to Hawaii's economy--visitors to the islands spend $8.5 billion a year" and it is in the state's interest to provide specific, positive examples of destination resort planning. Marine life, much of it rare elsewhere in the world, abounds at Kalahuipua'a, now known as Mauna Lani. Here on the Big Island of Hawaii stands one outstanding example of a successful, environmentally attuned achievement in resort development- the Mauna Lani Resort. The resort represents a stimulating model of how to achieve a creative environment by building a hotel and golf course that show respect for the surroundings- and for the community" by conserving natural resources. For example, Mauna Lani" situated on the Kohala coast, an extremely arid part of Hawaii Island- uses brackish water in part to irrigate its golf course. Developer Noboru Gotoh, espousing the motto, "For the Betterment of Mankind"?EUR??,,????'??+inspired everyone connected with the stewardship of this lava-surrounded coastal oasis to employ constructive planning and management methods. He showed further respect for the environment by insisting on preservation of its archaeological resources?EUR??,,????'??+the trails, fish ponds, and rock carvings of the ancient Hawaiians. This policy of preservation and enhancement of the surroundings has proven extremely rewarding in terms of acceptance on the part of patrons, who return again and again to enjoy the unique surroundings of the Mauna Lani and its incomparable amenities. Gotoh's planning objective was to develop a desirable, man-made recreational and residential resort offering facilities that simultaneously preserve the basic character of its unique lava formations, a panoramic vista of the mountains, a coastline with its delicate marine life, and the natural vegetation of the inland. Hawaii-based Belt Collins developed the master plan after a complete archaeological renaissance survey that identified important historic sites, which are now assured of perpetual protection. From the inception of the project. Belt Collins has been actively involved in the design of the Mauna Lani Resort through landscape architecture, golf course and land planning, and site engineering. The original master plan for the resort was prepared in the early 1970's and encompassed an area of almost 780 acres; it proposed the development of about 3,000 hotel units and as many resort residential units, a golf course, historic preserves, and associated resort facilities. In 1985, Mauna Lani Resort, Inc. (MLR), the resort developer, proposed a revised master plan to encompass 1,430 acres. To date, two luxury hotels, the award-winning Francis I'i Brown Golf Course, several multifamily and single family projects, and other resort associated amenities have been built. By conciliating a unified approach to the landscape design, the comprehensive master plan included using select lava formations as sculptural forms, incorporating them into the terrain as visual assets. Near shoreline areas, the original Hawaiian fish ponds have been reconstructed and the natural physical features made part of the landscaping. The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows is one of the feature attractions of the resort. The Landscape Architect and Landscape Contractor enhanced the grandeur of the natural setting with a 359-unit hotel surrounded by twenty-eight acres/complete with tropical plantings. The entry design, incorporating a bridge over a fish pond, eases a graceful transition from outdoors into the lobby; this entryway, in turn, leads to an interior garden with soaring palms and lush vines that reach downward from planters along the upper hallways. The luxuriant plantings around the hotel, swimming pool, tennis courts, and an outdoor function area are intermixed with emerald lawns and natural lava outcrop; the contrasts are stunning. Near shoreline areas, MLR is following a consultant's recommendation that the natural resource of environmentally sensitive cover types near the shoreline not be disturbed. Several natural physical features have been incorporated into the landscaping of the grounds to maintain and enhance the natural environment of the reconstructed Hawaiian fishponds and surrounding area. Central to the resort atmosphere lies the quality of its award-winning Francis I'i Brown Golf Course; particularly spectacular are the shoreline holes that border the ocean, and those that incorporate preserved archaeological sites into their arrangement. The purpose was to provide a challenging course and to create a green, open-space corridor to enhance the interior lands. Belt Collins' creation of the "greenbelt" golf course and archaeological preserve areas contributes to the scenic and economic value of individual project sites at Mauna Lani Resort. Golf course architects Nelson and Haworth (a division of Belt Collins) put golf in a new environment, carving out a course from an ancient lava flow. The result derives its appeal from a strange juxtaposition: a zen-like garden blooming in the midst of stark, forbidding wasteland. The blue of the ocean and sky, the black lava, the brilliant green of the golf course (which receives 1.5 million gallons of irrigation water a day) and the bright white sand framing it- all work together to achieve great visual effect. Combining the roles of Landscape Architect, land planner, golf course architect, and sculptor, Belt Collins was the leader in all decisions affecting the golf course, from the obvious ones of fairway layout to the hidden details of soil base preparation and automatic irrigation system. In addition, they specified selection of lava formations to communicate to the client his vision of an extraordinary golf course as earth sculpture. Mauna Lani Resort serves as a stimulating example of what can be accomplished at a destination resort when an abundant emphasis on quality is combined with concern for the natural environment and cultural heritage. As a result, this example of master planning for a creative environment has financially rewarded its initial investors and the present operators of the property. Moreover, the resort provides employment, pride and involvement for the local residents and surrounding host community of the island. In every aspect of its operation, Mauna Lani Resort has endeavored to "be a good neighbor"- one that is sensitive to community needs and that actively participates in community affairs; this process offers practical proposals to protect environmental tourism as an effective instrument of global progress, and may be generally applicable to other tourism projects throughout the world. LASN BEFORE DEVELOPMENT COMMENCED, BASIC LAND CONDITIONS CONSTITUTED MASSIVE LAVA FIELDS. NOW, THE VOLCANIC FIELDS WHERE MOLTEN LAVA ONCE FLOWED HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO RIBBONS OF LUSH GREEN FAIRWAYS. GENERALLY CONCEDED TO BE THE OUTSTANDING DESTINATION RESORT ON THE KOHALA COAST(POPULARLY CALLED HAWAII'S RIVIERA OR GOLD COAST) THE MAUNA LANI RESORT BOASTS A MAN-MADE BEACH (OPPOSITE), THIRTY-SIX HOLES OF GOLF, 117 ACRES IN CONSERVATION, AND LUSH INTERIOR GARDENS WITH SALT WATER FISH. All illustrations provided courtesy of Belt Collins. ORIGINAL HAWAIIAN FISH PONDS WERE RENOVATED AS PART OF THE MAUNA LANI DEVELOPMENT. BAMBOO, GINGER, FERNS AND OTHER INDIGENOUS PLANTS ARE GROUPED ARTISTICALLY AROUND THE SALT-WATER PONDS WITH THEIR WATERFALLS AND THEIR COLORFUL REEF FISH. LOCAL HAWAIIANS ASSISTED HISTORIANS IN THE RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF ANCIENT PETROGLYPHS, AND AN ANCIENT HAWAIIAN TRAIL (ABOVE) WAS PRESERVED AT THE EDGE OF THE RESORT DEVELOPMENT. THIS SHORELINE WAS ONCE TOTALLY INACCESSIBLE. NOW IT IS HOME TO THE SIGNATURE HOLE 15 ON THE AWARD-WINNING FRANCIS I'I BROWN GOLF COURSE ON MAUNA LANI RESORT (ABOVE) ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING CHALLENGES OF WORKING AS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITHIN THE VOLCANIC AREAS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXHIBIT THE SCULPTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE LAVA FORMS. BELT COLLINS HAS COINED THE PHRASE "LAVASCAPE".