Parc national des volcans d'Hawaï

Photo : Trougnouf (Benoit Brummer) (CC BY 4.0)

Located on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi in the United States, this national park encompasses one of the world's most active volcanic systems. The park preserves diverse volcanic landscapes including Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, two of the Earth's most prominent shield volcanoes, which continue to shape the Hawaiian islands through ongoing geological activity. The site's scientific significance lies in its exceptional record of volcanic processes and the opportunity to observe how volcanic landscapes evolve over time. The park's terrain displays a variety of volcanic features such as craters, lava flows, cinder cones, and volcanic calderas, spanning multiple volcanic cycles. Its natural heritage includes endemic plant and animal species adapted to the harsh volcanic environment, along with geological formations that provide crucial data for volcanological research. The site also holds cultural importance to Native Hawaiians as the home of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, maintaining its significance as a place of spiritual and historical meaning.