Special Events in Volcanoes National Park
The Hawai'ian Islands as a Model Ecosystem
The Hawai'ian Islands support an extraordinary and well-defined range of climates and soil ages in a very small area. At the same time, the underlying geology, topography, and even species composition of Hawai'ian ecosystems can be held relatively constant. Hawai'i thus can be used as a model system that allows us to understand fundamental principles about how the world works. Peter Vitousek, Professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford University, was born and raised in Hawai'i and has been studying the Islands as a model ecosystem for 15 years. He describes what Hawai'ian ecosystems can teach us about controls of forest productivity and soil fertility around the world.
Hilo and Ka'u Remember the November 2000 Floods
Two or three feet of rain in single day is phenomenal, even by Hawai'i Island standards. During the wee hours of November 1 and 2, 2000, heavy rain in Hilo and Ka'u produced torrents of water that raged down normally dry channels, knocking out bridges and flooding homes. Roads were ripped apart, trees and soil were scoured away and boulders were washed from the mountains to the seashore. A year later, most residents have recovered to the point that they can listen to heavy rainfall without cringing. University of Hawai'i - Hilo hydrologist Jene Michaud presents slides and videos of the great flood.
Fire in the Turtle House: The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean
Sea turtles have existed since the time of the dinosaurs. But now they are plagued by a disease so dreadful that some biologists consider it the most serious epidemic now raging in the natural world. Pulitzer Prize nominee Osha Gray Davidson reports on the grim happenings in the world of the honu (sea turtle) in his new book, "Fire in the Turtle House: The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean." Together with eminent honu scientist George Balazs, Davidson followed the fates of particular turtles, discovering their surprisingly distinct personalities and why they inspire an almost spiritual devotion in the humans who come to know them. Join Davidson, in this special After Dark in the Park program, as he tells of the impassioned efforts of scientists, marine biologists, veterinarians, and others who are racing to save sea turtles from extinction by solving complex biological and environmental puzzles.
Hawai`i's Russian Adventure: A New Look at Old History
In 1816, King Kaumuali`i of Kaua`i signed an alliance with representatives from the Russian-American Company. They were to provide him with foreign ships and munitions to help him resist Kamehameha's expanding kingdom. Although the deal fell apart in 1817, a large stone structure, commonly known as "Fort Elizabeth," still can be seen in Waimea, Kaua`i as lingering testimony to this era. UH-Hilo Anthropology professor Peter Mills shares insights from his new UH Press book on the ethnohistory and archaeology of this fascinating site. Contrary to common interpretations of the site as a Russian fort, Mills emphasizes the ties between this structure and Hawai'ian history, particularly heiau, and the Hawai'ian Kingdom's continued development of monumental architecture in the 19th century.
John Keawe: A Tribute to Slack Key
John Keawe pays tribute to slack key music and the musicians who have perpetuated this uniquely Hawai'ian guitar style. Growing up on Hawai'i Island, John listened to his grandfathers play music on their porches and later developed his own distinct style. Since the late 1980s, his music has been nominated for many Na Hoku Hano Hano awards and he received an award for best slack-key artist for his "Mana'olana" CD in 1998. Join us for an evening of heart-felt music with one of Hawai'i's finest musicians. This program is produced by the University of Hawai'i's Statewide Cultural Extension Program with funding from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.