Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and La Réunion National Park, a French volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, signed a sister park agreement last week to fortify the mutual collaboration and cooperation between both parks.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and La Réunion National Park, a French volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, signed a sister park agreement last week to fortify the mutual collaboration and cooperation between both parks.
Hawaii Volcanoes and La Réunion national parks feature active volcanoes and are celebrated throughout the world for their geological, biological and cultural attributes. Both islands are located in the middle of vast oceans, and are situated over volcanic hot spots.
La Réunion’s Piton de la Fournaise (“Peak of the Furnace”) is listed among Earth’s most active volcanoes and stands 8,632 feet above sea level. Like Kilauea, it is a shield volcano and is erupting.
Both parks are designated as World Heritage Sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
“La Réunion is a wonderful ambassador on behalf of the precious world heritage of France,” said Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.
“Our resources join us together — shield volcanoes and endemic and endangered species. We are proud to share with the community the joining of two wonders of the world.”
The sister park relationship enables both parks to enrich their personnel through projects of international cooperation, accomplished primarily through the exchange of managerial, technical and professional knowledge, information and data technology.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park also has sister park agreements with Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes in South Korea and with Wudalianchi National Park in China. Like Hawaii Volcanoes, Jeju is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Representatives from all three sister parks participated in the BioBlitz and Biodiversity and Cultural Festival May 15-16 at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.