HONOLULU — About two-thirds of Hawai'i residents favor building larger telescopes atop the Big Island's Mauna Kea, but most would only support a project if cultural protections are in place, according to a University of Hawai'i survey released yesterday.

Forty-two percent of those surveyed said they want new and larger telescopes only if proper care is given to cultural and natural resources. Twenty-six percent said they want more telescopes without any conditions.

The survey was conducted by QMark Research and Polling, which was commissioned by Kuiwalu, a consulting firm hired by UH to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Mauna Kea Science Reserve.

A total of 635 Hawai'i residents were phoned for the survey, with the largest proportion of respondents from the Big Island. The survey was done from March 19 to April 1.

Mauna Kea is considered a sacred place to Native Hawaiians, but it's also one of the best places in the world to view the cosmos.

A consortium made up of the University of California and other universities is considering Mauna Kea as a site for the world's most powerful telescope. Chile is another candidate site.

The proposed Thirty Meter Telescope would be three times bigger than the largest telescopes currently in use. Some environmentalists and Native Hawaiians say the summit is already crowded with telescopes, and the fragile environment on the mountain is nearing capacity.

In another survey question, more than 90 percent of respondents said it was possible, with a lot of work and compromise, to construct new telescopes while protecting the mountain.

"We were reassured by the survey that an overwhelming majority of those polled felt there is a way for science and culture to coexist, as long as the proper guidelines are in place to protect the natural and cultural resources," said Dawn Chang, principal of Kuiwalu.