Hike with a botanist through two of his favorite Hawaiian forests during Volcano Art Center’s “Super Kipuka Hike” from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22. ADVERTISING Hike with a botanist through two of his favorite Hawaiian forests during Volcano Art
Hike with a botanist through two of his favorite Hawaiian forests during Volcano Art Center’s “Super Kipuka Hike” from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.
Botanist Tim Tunison leads hikers through Kipuka Ki and Kipuka Puaulu forests in the Mauna Loa volcano section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
As a retired employee of Hawaii’s National Park Service and life-long naturalist, Tunison has decades worth of experience actively managing and interpreting these special ecological areas of the park.
“We’ll get off trail in both kipukas, discuss their rich history and ecology, identify native plants seldomly seen anywhere else on the island, and I will share much more about why they are the most beautiful forests that I have ever seen,” Tunison said.
He emphasizes geological characteristic of the sites that make the forests exceptionally unique: 8,000-year-old Mauna Loa lava flows covered by 2-meter-deep, Kilauea-sourced volcanic ash.
This accounts for the enormous stature of the native canopy trees — most notably Hawaii’s rare soapberry.
Although both kipukas were historically damaged by cattle, pigs and goats prior to them being managed by HVNP, recent decades worth of park-led invasive species removal and native plant recovery efforts helped them dramatically recover.
Participants should be injury-free, in average physical condition and bring rain gear, closed-toe shoes, a brown bag lunch and at least 1 quart of water.
The day begins at VAC’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village, where carpooling to the sites will be arranged.
Tuition is $50 and pre-registration is required.
Call Volcano Art Center at 808-967-8222 or visit VolcanoArtCenter.org to reserve your space.
