KAILUA-KONA — Brightly colored and uniquely designed license plates featuring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Maui’s Haleakala National Park hit the Big Island on Tuesday.
KAILUA-KONA — Brightly colored and uniquely designed license plates featuring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Maui’s Haleakala National Park hit the Big Island on Tuesday.
The release of Hawaii’s first true specialty plates also marked the start of a new century for the national parks, HVNP Superintendent Cindy Orlando said shortly after picking up her own plates.
“Today (Tuesday) was our 101st birthday — what a better way to enter the next century,” she said, urging residents to show their pride and support for national parks by switching out their old plates with one of the new specialty plates.
Both plates are emblazoned with volcanic views, rare native species and the parks’ establishment date, 1916. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park plate features the World Heritage site’s most iconic image, Kilauea Volcano erupting, shooting lava into the sky, in 1983, while the Haleakala National Park plate showcases Hawaii’s state bird, the nene, rare silversword and a sunrise.
In addition to bringing awareness to two of the oldest national parks, the specialty plates also help raise funds to support projects. Managing the funds will be the Hawaii Pacific Parks Association, a nonprofit partner that supports the park service.
From each plate, $18 is earmarked for Haleakala and HVNP resource protection and education projects, such as cultural, endangered species, forest restoration and invasive species programs the park offers the community.
During 2016, more than 1.88 million people visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, up 3 percent from 2015.
A collaboration between the two national parks and the nonprofit Pacific parks association, Orlando said the idea for the commemorative plates came up during planning for the parks’ 2016 centennial celebration.
In 2015, the state Legislature passed a measure allowing for the specialty plates. Since then, there’s been a host of complexities including perfecting the design, meeting legal specifications, receiving approval from all four county police chiefs, and, ultimately, having the plates produced and ready for consumers to pick up and affix to their vehicles.
Design work was donated by Saedene Ota, owner of Sae Design, a company based in Wailuku, Maui, with Ian Ryan creating the actual images depicted on the plates.
The HVNP and HNP plates are available at Hawaii County Vehicle Registration and Licensing offices in Kailua-Kona, Waimea, Hilo and Pahoa. They can be purchased with cash or check only, Orlando said. For more information, visit www.hawaiiparkplates.com.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.