Natural Resource Condition Assessments for Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park

Learn about NRCAs

• How do parks use NRCAs?
• Learn more about the NRCA Program

The Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) Program provides framework, funding, and publishing support to parks to aid in the synthesis and documentation of natural resource conditions. Condition assessment reports are a tool to describe selected park resources, and record a snapshot of their current condition, identify trends, and identify potential or current threats and stressors. Understanding the condition and trend of natural resources is key for parks and NPS planners to appropriately prioritize and allocate stewardship resources.

 

Puʻuhonua on the Island of Hawai’i.

NPS Photo

Located on the west coast of the island of Hawaiʻi, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park preserves what was once the home of royal grounds and a place of refuge for ancient Hawaiian lawbreakers. Kapu, or sacred laws, were of utmost importance to Hawaiian culture, and the consequneces of breaking kapu often included death. If one were to break kapu, their only chance for survival was to evade their pursuers and make it to a puʻuhonua (place of refuge). There, a ceremony of absolution would enable the rulebreaker to return to society. The park is also the site of Royal Grounds, which was the sacred home of aliʻi (Polynesian chiefs). Visitors to the 420-acre park experience one of Hawaiʻiʻs most sacred historic places, hundreds of years old yet beautifully restored.

Links to NRCA Products
Materials produced by the park and the NRCA Program.

For other reports and natural resource datasets visit the NPS Data Store.

Source: Data Store Collection 7765 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.