Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hosts CFP Workshop

On February 21st and 22nd over 50 park staff and stakeholders gathered at the Kilauea Military Camp in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to build awareness for climate change within the park. The 9th in a series of workshops put on by the Climate Friendly Parks program, the workshop focused on identifying strategies for reducing the park's own contribution to climate change and developing management strategies to facilitate adapting to a warmer climate.

Experts from around the region presented information on a range of topics from the local impacts of climate change to how hydrogen-fueled shuttles could present an opportunity for the park to reduce green house gas emissions. The bulk of the workshop, however, focused on participants developing climate friendly actions that could be implemented at the park. These solutions and the associated emission reduction targets will be featured in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park's Climate Friendly Action Plan that is scheduled to be published this spring.

Superintendent Cindy Orlando concluded the workshop by saying, "This issue should be dealt with in the same way we deal with safety; it is not a special initiative but is simply something we must do". The park has committed to a concrete reduction in GHG emissions by adopting a wide range of climate friendly strategies from transportation demand management to increasing energy efficiency in the park. The Park is also the first National Park to "sign on" to the Do Your Part program for Climate Friendly Parks. Scheduled to be released this spring, the new program aims to have individuals reduce their household greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through easy actions that save money.