Hawaii Volcanoes Institute on Holoholo Hualalai presents a rocky scramble Feb. 7 in Hawaii Forest & Trail's Pinzgauer vehicles to the summit of Hualalai volcano. Reservations are required; call 985-7373. (Photo by Lanaya Deily/Hawaii Volcanoes National Park)

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The Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, in partnership with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, announces the 2009 rollout of the Hawaii Volcanoes Institute. 

The Institute’s series of programs, designed for both island residents and visitors, will enrich the lives of all those eager to learn more about Hawaii’s geological, biological, and cultural heritage.  Institute learning adventures range from one to several day excursions and combine instruction with hands-on learning.

The classroom might be a crater’s edge, rain forest, or mountaintop. On Feb. 7, Hawaii Volcanoes Institute presents a rare adventure learning opportunity, Holoholo Hualalai, an off-road journey with Hawaii Forest & Trail to the summit of Hualalai volcano—a remote and seldom explored area.

Hawaii Volcanoes Superintendent Cindy Orlando declared, “What an exciting milestone. Hawaii Volcanoes Institute is our partner in providing high-quality programs that inspire appreciation and stewardship of this remarkable park.”
 
The Institute offers opportunities for in-depth exploration of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.  The Institute models itself on other well-known institutes including those at Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite national parks.

With knowledge and passion, scientists, archeologists, artists, historians, and cultural practitioners provide intriguing ways of viewing the Park and surrounding lands. They have the ability to engage students of any age with the wonders found here.

Through the study of island volcanoes, Institute programs invite participants to experience their connection to the living earth.  Kilauea’s breath is visible.  Here, the earth is born.  We feel the heat of the earth upon our own skin and glimpse the fire within.

Institute programs also focus on Hawaii’s unique plants and animals. Ecosystems range from undersea habitats to the shoreline, then rise steadily to glaciated landscapes above 13,000 feet.  Plants and animals that reached these islands adapted to each elevation niche over millennia, becoming species found nowhere else on earth. 

In addition, Hawaiian chants, songs, and stories offer a profound understanding of these islands and Institute programs will feature a vibrant Hawaiian culture deeply connected to this land.

The 2009 inaugural year of Institute programs is sponsored in part by a County Product Enrichment Program (CPEP) grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority in partnership with the County of Hawaii’s Department of Research and Development.

The all-day program is $100 for Friends’ members and $125 for non-members, and includes lunch, snacks, and drinks. 

— Find out more:
Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: 985-7373,  www.FHVNP.org