FEATURED PARK
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Evidence of Hawaii's volcanic past--and present--is visible throughout the islands that make up our 50th state. But nowhere is Hawaii's legacy of fire more apparent than at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located on the southern edge of the Big Island. In and near the park, lava flows from the Kilauea volcano enter the Pacific Ocean where the lava hardens to black volcanic rock that increases Hawaii's acreage with every passing year.
Elsewhere in the park, it's possible to view ancient petroglyphs, hike across the floor of a dormant crater, view steam vents, and take a stroll through a primeval rain forest to an ancient lava tube. Wildlife are fairly abundant here, including some endangered endemic species like the Hawaii honeycreeper and the Hawaiian goose or nene, as it's commonly called.
View the slideshow > >
If You Go > >The park is easily viewed by car. The Crater Rim Drive takes visitors around the dormant crater, with plenty of places to park and walk around, and the Chain of Craters Road takes visitors down the volcano to the ocean and the hike to the lava flows. To really get a feel for this dynamic and fascinating landscape, you'll definitely want to spend some time outside of the car, hiking along any number of trails sure to suit anyone from the casual day-tripper to the dedicated hiker.
OUR LATEST REPORT
Report Finds that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is at Risk
 Hosting some of the world's most active volcanoes, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park draws visitors from around the world to marvel at nature at work, as red-hot lava rises out of the earth and flows into the ocean. But liquid rock isn't the only attraction at the park--turtles, birds, caterpillars, and bats all call the island home, as do about 400 native Hawaiian plants.
Yet according to a new assessment of Hawaii Volcanoes by NPCA's Center for State of the Parks, chronic funding and staffing shortfalls have limited the park's ability to protect endangered plants and animals. Despite ongoing efforts to eradicate non-native species and restore threatened plants and animals, the park still has among the highest number of threatened and endangered species in the National Park System (54 species). NPCA's latest report recommends that more money be allocated to the park so it can continue to expand programs such as the Hawksbill Turtle Recovery Program, which teaches people to avoid inadvertently trampling turtle nests on beaches.
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National Parks Magazine
 The summer issue of National Parks magazine is out! Several of the articles are included online at www.npca.org/magazine. In a web exclusive, watch an ancient language come to life just outside the borders of Glacier National Park.
To see every single word and every stunning photograph, subscribe to the print version.
SAVE THE DATE
National Public Lands Day is September 27th, 2008!
 Last year nearly 110,000 volunteers worked on public lands across the country on National Public Lands Day. This year National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 27th, 2008. Save the date on your calendar and plan to get out into a national park to lend a hand.
Many national parks will be hosting projects this year and could use your help. For example, volunteers in Greenbelt Park in Maryland will work to repair stream erosion and to remove invasive species. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in Iowa needs volunteers to help restore the 81-acre native tallgrass prairie.
To learn more about projects in a national park near you, visit www.publiclandsday.org.
The Park Service has declared National Public Lands Day a "Fee Free Day" and all National Park Service sites will offer free visitor admission on September 27th, 2008.
TRAVEL WITH NPCA
Featured Tour: NPCA Women's Journeys
Utah Canyonlands: October 6-11, 2008
Springtime in the High Sierra: April 19-24, 2009
 Experience a change of pace from the responsibilities of daily life. Join NPCA for an adventure designed just for active women, and enjoy days filled with exploration and laughter. Share this memorable experience with your mother, your sister, or your daughter.
Witness the splendor of Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Zion National Parks on the Utah Canyonlands trip this October. And discover the wonder of a High Sierra Spring in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks as the blanket of snow melts to reveal wildflowers this coming April. Women only for these journeys.
Limited space available, so please call us at 800.628.7275, email us at travel@npca.org, or go online to www.npca.org/travel today for more information or to reserve your space.
Become a Trustee for the Parks!
 End your summer on a positive note and become a Trustees for the Parks member! The Trustees for the Parks are a group of special members who believe strongly in preserving our parks for future generations. Annual commitments of $1,000 or more entitle members to special events, mailings, and attention from NPCA staff. Consider joining the Trustees for the Parks today!
To show our appreciation for your dedication to NPCA, we will send you a beautiful coffee table book titled Our National Parks by renowned photographer David Muench. Visit us online to join, or for more information about the program contact Michele Gehrig, Trustees for the Parks Manager at mgehrig@npca.org or at 800.628.7275, ext. 290.
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