1. Sierra
6th Grade Language Arts
3rd Hour
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Did you know that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two of the most
active volcanoes in the world? Well it is true. It also presents knowledge on the birth of
Hawaiian islands and the most spectacular views of volcanic scenery. This park was
established in 1916 then designed as a biosphere reserve in 1980, and a world heritage
site in 1987. But, in 1961 the section of the park on Maui was made as Haleakala
National Park. With lots animals, Hawaii Volcanoes has a very unique wildlife, lots of
eruptions, and a hot climate which I will be talking about.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is located on the southeastern section of the Big
Island in Hawaii around 96 miles from Kona and 30 miles from Hilo. It has the
vegetation zone of broadleaf evergreen forest, which has lots of layers of trees. Tall
trees, with an umbrella-like canopy, then medium sized trees. The climate zone is
tropical dry, but the temperature varies by the elevation. At the top of a volcano, the
temperature might be 12 to 15 degrees cooler than at sea level. At the end of the Chain
of Craters road, where the coastal plain is, where lava used to cross the road, it is
usually hot, dry, and windy.
As I said before, Hawaii Volcanoes holds two of the most active volcanoes in the
world, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea has erupted more than 50 times in the last 100
years. While Mauna Loa has only erupted 30 times in the last 150 years, but still highly
active. Everyday, the volcano, Kilauea, spits out about 2,500 tons of sulfur dioxide.
That's enough noxious gas to fill 100 Goodyear blimps! Standing 13,677 feet above sea
level, Mauna Loa soars high into the sky.

2. In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park there is phenomenal wildlife! It contains lots
of endangered, and rare animals and plants that could be found nowhere else in the
world. Some animals that are native to the Hawaiians are the nene, or the Hawaiian
goose, and the hawksbill turtle. There are also lots of rare birds, like the 6 Hawaiian
honeycreepers that live in the park, the endangered Hawaiian petrel, and hawk. Also,
there is a native thrush, or songbird, and monarch. This park also includes one of the
biggest dragonflies in the world, and a carnivorous caterpillar! A plant that is found only
in Hawaii is called the silversword, which is found on the volcanoes craters having
rosettes of narrow silvery-green leaves and clusters of reddish-purple flowers. Some
other plants found in Hawaii Volcanoes are the acacia koa trees, tree lobelias, and
many different types of hibiscus, which are flower like.
As you have just discovered, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is truly
magnificent! With a nice, tropical climate, amazing views of spewing volcanoes, and
plants and animals that could be found nowhere else in the world, Hawaii Volcanoes is
breath-taking. If you’re lucky, you can see the most glorious sites, you may never see
again, of erupting volcanoes. Also weird creatures you have never seen before, and
beautiful plants.