Help repair the wooden corral that safeguards the park’s horses and mules.

MEDIA RELEASE

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park celebrates National Public Lands Day with free admission and volunteer opportunities for park visitors.

“I’m happy to invite our friends and neighbors to the park for a fee free day,” Superintendent Cindy Orlando said.  “Being outdoors is a stimulating experience, and in these tough economic times, memories made enjoying the park with friends and family are precious.”

“National Public Lands Day also presents an opportunity to make a difference and you’re invited to join rangers on one of six work projects taking place that day,” Orlando said.

Located throughout the park, these projects widely vary in their physical requirements:

Easy

Recycle with Maintenance Work Leader Danny Ortiz by sorting plastic, glass, and aluminum from 9 a.m. to noon.

Moderate

Hike through a kipuka and chop invasive ginger in Kahuku on National Public Lands Day.

Chop down kahili ginger with Park Ranger Jason Zimmer from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Remove Morella faya (fire tree) with Chief of Natural Resources Management Rhonda Loh and VIP Mark Johnson from 9:00 am to noon.

Plant ‘ala‘ala wai nui and palapalai with Botanist Sierra McDaniel from 9:00 am to 3 p.m.

Repair a horse corral with Animal Caretaker John Machado and VIP Annabelle Lewis from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Strenuous
Hike through Kipukaakihi in Kahuku and chop down kahili ginger with park rangers Dean Gallagher and John Stallman from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

To sign up for the project that fits your physical capability, time, and interest, call the park’s volunteer coordinator, Laura Williams, at 985-6304.

Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes; bring gloves, a snack or lunch, and water; and dress for sun and be prepared for rain.

At 5 p.m, everyone is invited to the Kilauea Visitor Center for a sneak preview of The National Parks: America’s Best Idea by director Ken Burns. The 45-minute film will get you ready to watch the six-part series about the creation and evolution of the National Park System set to debut Sunday, Sept. 27 on PBS.