MEDIA RELEASE

Hawai‘i National Park, HI – The 2012 edition of the federal Interagency Recreation Pass and the annual Hawai‘i TriPark Pass are now on sale – just in time for the holidays.

The new 2012 Interagency Recreation Pass provides access to recreation opportunities at national public lands managed by four Department of Interior agencies: the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, plus the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service. This pass is $80 and is valid for one year.

Always a popular stocking stuffer, the $25 TriPark pass is also available, and provides access to Hawai‘i Volcanoes, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, and Haleaka lā national parks.

The interagency pass and the TriPark pass are both available for sale at Hawai‘i Volcanoes, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, and Haleakalā National Park entrance stations. Both passes are the size of a credit card and are valid for one year.

“The TriPark Pass is an ideal holiday gift and a terrific way to jump-start New Year’s resolutions to get outside and reconnect with the natural wonders in your backyard,” said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.

The 2012 TriPark Pass features artwork of ‘ulei by Hilo artist John Dawson. A member of the rose family, ‘ulei is a sprawling native shrub that grows in all three parks. Its flowers and leaves are used in lei and for medicine, while its tough wood is used to fashion ‘o‘o (digging sticks) and hoops for fish nets.

Eighty percent of the pass purchase price is invested in projects that enhance park visitors’ safety, access, and enjoyment. Parks use the money to rehabilitate hiking trails; provide waysides and brochures that interpret distinctive natural and cultural features; improve survival of endangered native species; and more.

For information call Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ fee office at (808) 985-6151.