Haleakala National Park By: Tara Lemon

Location of Haleakala National Park The Haleakala National Park is located on the Island of Maui,HI.

Topographic Map of Haleakala National Park Scientific Research Reserve Park Headquarters Haleakala Crater Area

How Haleakala Became A National Park Haleakala was first part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Maui. In 1961, Haleakala became an Official National Park to preserve the amazing features of Haleakala Crater. Later add-ons to the park gave protection to the unique and fragile ecosystems and rare species of Kipahulu Valley, the pools along ‘Obe‘o Gulch, and the coast. In 1980, Haleakala National Park became an International Biosphere Reserve.

Types of Rocks in Haleakala National Park The whole Haleakala park is mostly igneous rock formed from the cooling lava from the volcanoes. Haleakala has some different types of rocks too, examples are, andesites, with some basalts, and picrite-basalts. Andesite, is a type of rock that is between basalt and granite. It is an igneous, volcanic rock, and the main minerals that are inside of it are plagioclase and pyroxene, or hornblend. Picrite-basalts is also called oceanite. They are dark with yellow, green and dark brown. Also there is a lot of pahoehoe,a form of lava flow of basaltic rock, usually dark-colored with a smooth or ropey surface. It is one of two main forms of lava flow emitted from volcanoes of the Hawaiian type.

Special Land Features in Haleakala National Park Its crater is one of the biggest and best features in Haleakala. The crater is at 10,000 feet in elevation and is the highest point in the park. The crater is one of the largest in the world at 2,720 feet deep and 19 square miles. Inside of the crater there are volcanoes. The shield volcanoes themselves are interesting too. The shield volcanoes that make up the Hawaiian Islands are built by thousands of accumulated lava flows. Haleakala is only the third largest shield volcano in Hawaii. Kipahulu is another special feature. It is a village in the Hana district of Maui. It has no electricity or water utilities, the water is gathered from the stream and the only outside access is the one telephone. There is the Rainforest on the southeast side of Haleakala. This part is completely different from the dry rock of the volcanoes, it has waterfalls, pools, tropical species, and plants of all different sorts. Haleakala has a lot of special features, and these are only a few of them.

How was Haleakala National Park was formed? Thousands of volcanic eruptions built up the mountain from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, forming a mountain. Over many years, rain flowed down the mountain peak creating rivers and streams, eroding and forming the crater. Haleakala Crater

How is the land inside Haleakala National Park changing? Haleakala National Park has more threatened and endangered species than any other national park in the U.S. Alien Species: The worst threat to Haleakala National Park is from alien species (non-native plants and animals not native to Hawaii). Alien species are spreading disease and killing the animals that live there. They limit space and food for the native species. Miconia Axis deer Feral cats Western yellowjackets Various ants. The most effective and economical way of dealing with alien species is prevention. They can be done by insuring that all ships transporting goods to Haleakala are clean and free of alien species. Water Weathering: is happening at the shores and the cliffs at Haleakala. They are being broken down from the constant waves hitting against them.

What environmental issues are effecting Haleakala National Park? Hunting for commercial gain is killing native species. Both the “nene,” a native bird, and the “silversword,” native plant, are being endangered from tourists going off of the trails and touching them. Nene Flowering Silversword

How is Technology used to help preserve and maintain Haleakala National Park? At Kilauea, the daily activities of the volcano ( movement of lava flows and earthquakes) are monitored by the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. The “Friends of Haleakala National Park” is a program that educates people about the Hawaiian culture the resources of the park. Their goal is to protect, preserve and spread awareness about Haleakala’s fragile ecosystem. Their website has information about the many species of plants and animals living in ecosystems within the park. In the Haleakala Observatory, they are building a telescope that is the largest in the world. It is used to study the solar magnetic activity and understanding astrophysics and behavior of the sun. It will also be studying how the sun affects the earth’s climate and details of the sun. The project was suggested by the NSO (national solar observatory) and the National Science Foundation and will be funded by the National Science Foundation.

Bibliography "Haleakala National Park." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haleakala_National_Park>. "Friends of Haleakala National Park - Issues." Friends of Haleakala National Park - Home. Web. 24 May 2010. <http://www.fhnp.org/issues.html>. "Design and Construction of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope Mount Assembly, Haleakala Observatory, Maui, Hawaii - R125776 (Archived) - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities." Home - Federal Business Opportunities: Home. Web. 24 May 2010. <https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1cc9a66d531444a743882668b1fc5c1c &tab=core&_cview=0>. Mack, Jim, and Camp Mary L. Van. Haleakalā: the Story behind the Scenery. Las Vegas: KC Publications, 1998. Print. Brochure from Haleakala National Park, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Title- Origin of Hawaiian Volcanoes. U.S. Department of the Interior. The Origin of the Hawaiian Volcanoes. U.S. Department of the Interior, 1998. Print. "Haleakala National Par." N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Jan. 2016. <http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/haleakala-national-park-ga2.htm>.