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| Pū ʻUlaʻu | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pū ʻUlaʻu |
| Elevation m | 275 |
| Location | Hawaiʻi (island), Hawaii Volcanoes National Park |
| Type | shield volcano |
| Last eruption | Holocene |
Pū ʻUlaʻu is a volcanic cone and cinder pit located on the southern flank of Mauna Loa on the island of Hawaiʻi (island), within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The feature is noted for its well-preserved rim, episodic lava flows, and association with historic eruptions of Mauna Loa and nearby Kīlauea. Scientists, park managers, and cultural practitioners reference the site in studies and stewardship related to volcanology, Native Hawaiian heritage, and conservation initiatives.
The name derives from ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi terms found across Hawaiian language records and place-name studies by scholars such as Samuel Kamakau, M.P. Kīpapa and Mary Kawena Pukui. Historical maps produced by the United States Geological Survey and accounts by explorers like William Ellis and surveyors associated with Kingdom of Hawaii cartography show variant orthographies that informed modern usage. Oral histories documented by organizations like the Bishop Museum and practitioners from Hawaiian Homes Commission and Office of Hawaiian Affairs link the name to legends recorded alongside place names on Maui, Oʻahu, and other sites cataloged by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.
Pū ʻUlaʻu sits within the southeastern rift zone of Mauna Loa and forms part of the mosaic of cones, fissures, and lava fields mapped during 19th- and 20th-century surveys by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The cone overlies pāhoehoe and ʻaʻā flows correlated with eruptions documented during the eras of observers such as Thomas Jaggar and field campaigns by the HVO. Geological descriptions reference stratigraphic work by researchers affiliated with University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Stanford University, and international teams studying shield volcano construction, lava flow morphology, and tephra deposits. Proximal landmarks include Makalapua Point, Kīpuka Puaulu, and the Mauna Loa Road corridor, with maps produced for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park management and National Park Service interpretive materials.
Recorded interactions with Pū ʻUlaʻu appear in journals of 19th-century visitors, mission records tied to figures like Hiram Bingham I, and ethnographic field notes by scholars such as Dorothy Barrère and Herbert L. Gilliam. The cone features in chants (mele) and genealogical accounts preserved by kūpuna associated with ʻohana in South Kona, Puna, and tribal groups represented in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. During the 20th century, infrastructure projects overseen by agencies including the National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps affected access and interpretation of the site. Contemporary cultural practitioners from organizations like ʻAha Pūnana Leo and cultural councils collaborate with park staff and researchers from University of Hawaii System and NOAA partners to incorporate traditional knowledge into site stewardship and educational programming.
Vegetation assemblages on and around the cone reflect successional stages documented in botanical surveys by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and botanists affiliated with Bishop Museum and University of Hawaii at Hilo. Native species reported in adjacent kipuka and learning areas include specimens comparable to taxa recorded by Owen L. Brown and Isabella Aiona Abbott, while invasive plants tracked by USDA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs also occur. Faunal surveys by researchers from Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy and Hawaii Conservation Alliance document bird species analogous to those monitored by Hawaiian Audubon Society, invertebrates studied by entomologists at University of Hawaiʻi labs, and rare endemics addressed in recovery planning under the Endangered Species Act and state endangered species statutes.
Management of the site involves collaboration among National Park Service, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and federal partners including USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service where broader landscape considerations apply. Conservation plans reference inventories and monitoring protocols developed by academic teams from University of Hawaii at Mānoa and non‑profit partners such as The Nature Conservancy and Hawaiʻi Land Trust. Threats noted in management documents mirror those in regional conservation strategies: invasive species control guided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service initiatives, visitor impact mitigation aligned with National Environmental Policy Act processes, and cultural resource protection coordinated with State Historic Preservation Division and kupuna councils. Adaptive management integrates volcanic hazard assessments from USGS, educational outreach through park interpretive programs, and co-management discussions with Native Hawaiian organizations and community stakeholders.
Category:Volcanoes of Hawaii (island) Category:Hawaii Volcanoes National Park