Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Name	Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Iucn category	II
Photo caption	Lava flow from Kīlauea near Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent (2018)
Location	Hawaiʻi Island, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Nearest city	Hilo
Area	518.99 sq mi (134,774 acres)
Established	1916
Visitation year	2019
Governing body	National Park Service

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park protects active volcanic landscapes on Hawaiʻi Island, including the summits and rift zones of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, coastal lava fields, native forest, and archaeological sites. The park is administered by the National Park Service and lies within Hawaii County near Hilo and Kona. It preserves geological, ecological, and cultural resources central to Native Hawaiian history and contemporary practice, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site component candidate in various studies.

History

The park was established in 1916 during the administration of Woodrow Wilson and with advocacy from Julia Morgan-era conservationists and scientists associated with the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the United States Geological Survey. Early park history involved collaboration and conflict among territorial governments, the Territory of Hawaii, landholders such as the Kamehameha Schools, and conservation organizations like the Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society. Notable figures in park history include Thomas Jaggar, founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, and Isabella Chamberlain, who supported early interpretive efforts. The park has been a focus of federal policy debates involving the Antiquities Act era, scientific research by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Hawaiian sovereignty advocates. Over decades, infrastructure was developed with funding and support from the Civilian Conservation Corps and later federal programs under presidents including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Geology and Volcanology

The park encompasses two of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, central to the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain and formed by the Hawaiian hotspot. Volcanic processes recorded here include shield-building eruptions, rift-zone intrusions, lava lake formation, and lava tube development such as the Thurston Lava Tube. Scientific monitoring is undertaken by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and the United States Geological Survey, coordinated with seismic networks like the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and satellite remote sensing by agencies including NASA and the European Space Agency. Landmark eruptions—such as the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption, the 1983–2018 Puʻu ʻŌʻō episode, and the 2018 lower Puna eruption—informed models of magma chamber dynamics, petrology, and lava flow emplacement used by volcanologists at institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, California Institute of Technology, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Features include calderas, rift systems, pit craters, and pahoehoe and ʻaʻā flow morphologies studied in comparative geology with Iceland and Galápagos Islands volcanic fields.

Ecology and Biodiversity

The park supports gradients from sea level to alpine subalpine zones on Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea proximities, creating diverse habitats for endemic species including ʻŌhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), native Hawaiian honeycreepers such as the ʻAkikiki and ʻAkekeʻe, and threatened invertebrates. Native forest remnants host interactions among plants, birds, and arthropods that are the focus of research by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service biologists, and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. Invasive species and diseases—such as mammalian predators introduced by Polynesian voyagers and later European contact, invasive plants like Clidemia hirta, and rapid ʻŌhiʻa death fungal pathogens—pose major conservation challenges addressed in partnership with organizations like the U.S. Forest Service and the The Nature Conservancy. Coastal ecosystems include endemic marine fauna studied by Hawaiian Marine Research Centers and the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant program, linking to broader Pacific biodiversity initiatives with institutions such as the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Cultural Significance and Native Hawaiian Connections

The park contains extensive cultural landscapes, wahi kapu, petroglyph fields, and traditional trails tied to Native Hawaiian genealogy, cosmology, and practices associated with deities such as Pele. Cultural resources are managed through consultation with Native Hawaiian organizations including Office of Hawaiian Affairs and local community groups, and with reference to legal frameworks like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act when applicable. Traditional ecological knowledge maintained by kūpuna from ʻohana and cultural practitioners informs site stewardship, ceremonial use, and interpretive programming coordinated with the National Park Service’s cultural resource divisions. Historic interactions involve royalty of the Kingdom of Hawaii era, missionary-period records, and 20th-century Hawaiian cultural renaissance figures who advocated for protection of sacred sites and native language revitalization.

Recreation and Visitor Services

Visitors access features via the Hawaii Belt Road and park roads connecting to Chain of Craters Road, the Kīpuka Puaulu trail system, and summit overlooks such as the Kīlauea Caldera rim viewpoints. Services include interpretive programs, ranger-led walks, cultural demonstrations, and educational partnerships with institutions like the Bishop Museum and Volcano Art Center. Recreational opportunities cover hiking on trails such as the Kīlauea Iki Trail, backcountry camping permits coordinated with the National Park Service, birdwatching promoted with the American Birding Association, and night-sky observation aligning with programs by the International Dark-Sky Association. Safety protocols coordinate with Hawaiian Electric Industries during infrastructure impacts, and emergency response involves Hawaii County Civil Defense and interoperability with Federal Emergency Management Agency during eruptive crises.

Conservation and Management

Park management integrates volcanic hazard mitigation, invasive species control, cultural resource protection, and climate-adaptation strategies developed with partners including the U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and academic partners such as the University of Hawaiʻi system. Programs include habitat restoration funded through grants from agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and collaboration with NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Adaptive management addresses visitor impact, shoreline change, and fire risk with input from tribal representatives and federal statutes including the National Environmental Policy Act and park-specific management plans. Ongoing research, monitoring, and community co-stewardship aim to sustain the park’s volcanic, ecological, and cultural values for future generations.

Category:National parks of Hawaii