Narrator: THIS TIME ON NATURE SCENE A VISIT TO HAWAII'S HOUSE OF THE SUN-- HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI.

COMING UP NEXT.

A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM SANTEE COOPER WHERE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ARE EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE TO PROVIDING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU MEMBERS OF THE ETV ENDOWMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLAND OF MAUI AT HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK.

THE EARLY HAWAIIANS CALLED IT "HALEAKALA-- HOUSE OF THE SUN."

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND WHAT A SPECTACULAR PLACE TO BE AT 10,000 FEET ABOVE ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT DORMANT VOLCANOES.

WHEN YOU THINK OF HAWAII, YOU DON'T THINK OF COLD BUT I'M CHILLY RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS A POWERFUL WIND THAT'S COMING UP BEHIND US BUT THESE ARE EXCITING ISLANDS AND REALLY THE BASIS FOR THEM, OF COURSE IS THE FACT THAT THEY'RE VOLCANOES AND WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW HOW THESE VOLCANOES CAME TO BE.

DO A LITTLE BIT OF PLATE TECTONICS AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT SOMEHOW FOUND THEIR WAY TO THESE ISOLATED ISLANDS AND MADE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN THEY ARRIVED.

AND THEN, SADLY, WE'VE GOT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TODAY ABOUT THE ALIEN SPECIES-- THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS BROUGHT OVER RECENTLY THAT HAVE ESCAPED AND REALLY CHANGED THE FACE OF THESE ISLANDS.

BUT IT IS AN EXCITING STORY.

THE BASIS OF IT ALL, THOUGH IS A STORY OF VOLCANOES AND THERE'S A NICE ONE RIGHT OVER OUR SHOULDER.

7½ MILES ACROSS, RUDY AND SEVERAL, SEVERAL POINTS TO LOOK AT TO TALK ABOUT IN THIS CRATER.

YEAH, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE WERE ABOUT 10,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

IF YOU TELL THE TRUTH, SEE THAT VOLCANO GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SUBMARINE VOLCANO THAT JUST THE TIP OF THE VOLCANO IS STICKING OUT NOW.

20,000 FEET BELOW, IN FACT; THAT'S AT 30,000.

AND IF WE HAD BEEN HERE ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION YEARS AGO THIS WOULD'VE BEEN ACTIVE.

I MEAN, THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A VERY ACTIVE VOLCANO THEN SPEWING OUT LAVA, YOU KNOW, FLOWING OUT AND ASH FALL AND THE REST-- VOLCANIC BOMBS AND SUCH AND THEN SLOWLY, IT BECAME INACTIVE BASICALLY BECAUSE THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE IN THE PACIFIC PLATE WHICH IS MOVING NORTHWEST ABOUT FOUR INCHES A YEAR-- OVER A HOT SPOT, IT'S CALLED-- AND WHEN THE HEAT BUMPS INTO ROCK IT FORCES IT UP TO FORM THESE VOLCANOES AND THEN, AS THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES MOVES OFF OF THE HOT SPOT AND THE VOLCANOES REALLY BECOME DORMANT AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE AND THEN, FOR ABOUT THE LAST 300,000 YEARS THIS STUFF'S BEEN ERODING AWAY AND YOU CAN SEE SIGNS OF THAT ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE.

AND THEN A FEW MORE RECENT CINDER CONES COMING UP.

THIS VOLCANO COULD ERUPT AGAIN BUT IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY, AND IF IT GOES, SAY ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS, AT SOME POINT, IT WILL BE DECLARED EXTINCT.

YEAH, IT IS AMAZING, THOUGH TO BE STANDING AND LOOKING AT A SIGHT LIKE THIS REALIZING NOW THAT THIS WAS ONCE FILLED WITH LIQUID ROCK FROM DEEP BENEATH THE SURFACE, AND THAT, AGAIN IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THESE ISLANDS SO VERY SPECIAL.

SPECIAL NOT ONLY IN THE SENSE OF GEOLOGY THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AND THE PLANTS, BUT IN THE COLORS AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD COME TO SEE THIS SPECTACULAR LIGHT SHOW THE COLORS THAT COME INTO THIS CRATER-- REDS AND GRAYS OF ALL SHADES-- OCHERS-- COLORS THAT STIR THE IMAGINATION.

THE WIND'S BLOWING SO HARD IT ALMOST MAKES YOUR EYES WATER JUST LOOKING INTO IT, DOESN'T IT?

IT TAKES ADAPTATION FOR PEOPLE AND PLANTS.

WELL, AT AN ALTITUDE LIKE THIS NOW IT PUTS IT IN REALLY WHAT YOU COULD CALL AN ALPINE ZONE AND IN HAWAII, EVERYTHING ABOVE ABOUT 6,000 FEET FALLS INTO THAT CATEGORY, BUT YOU CAN ONLY SEE THAT NOW ON THE ISLAND OF MAUI AND ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII.

GREAT STRESSES HERE, AND WHEN YOU START LOOKING AROUND, YOU DON'T SEE MANY PLANTS.

WHAT'S THIS ONE RIGHT HERE?

DUBAUTIA IS THE GENUS NAME FOR THAT.

UH, NAHE-NAHE IS THE HAWAIIAN NAME FOR IT.

THAT'S AN ENDEMIC GENUS FOUND ONLY ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD-- 21 SPECIES.

THE NEAREST RELATIVES ARE TARWEEDS IN CALIFORNIA SO MAYBE SOME OF THEM GOT OVER AND BECAME MODIFIED THROUGH TIME INTO SOMETHING ELSE BUT THAT'S ONE OF MANY PLANTS WE'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY THAT ARE FOUND ONLY ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS BUT THAT'S NOT AN ALPINE PLANT TYPICALLY AROUND THE WORLD.

IT'S UNIQUE TO HERE.

AND ONE OTHER ONE OVER HERE, RUDY.

WHAT'S THAT ONE?

PUKI-AVE IS THE HAWAIIAN NAME FOR THAT; RELATIVES IN AUSTRALIA AND YOU SEE IT'S A LITTLE SHRUBBY PLANT.

USUALLY IT GETS A LITTLE TALLER THAN THIS BUT IN AN ALPINE REGION LIKE THIS WITH THE WIND AND THE ELEMENTS IT'S KEPT RATHER SMALL.

I'LL BET WE'LL SEE THAT LARGER AS WE WALK ALONG.

A LOT OF ENDEMIC PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES AND REALLY, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, PLANTS THE VAST MAJORITY OF PLANTS ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE FOUND HERE AND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

SO THEY'RE VERY, VERY SPECIAL FOR THAT REASON.

LOTS OF GOOD THINGS TO SEE.

LET'S GET STARTED.

THERE ARE 32 MILES OF TRAILS AT HALEAKALA.

THIS ONE IS SLIDING SANDS TRAIL AND LEADS FOUR MILES DOWN TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE CRATER FLOOR.

AND THIS IS A WINDY DAY, AND OF COURSE WIND AND OTHER WEATHER FACTORS HAVE SHAPED THE ROCKS HERE VERY CLEARLY, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

SLIDING SANDS TRAIL IS A PRETTY GOOD NAME FOR THIS TRAIL.

VERY LOOSE PUMICE AND CINDER AND ASH.

YEAH, BUT WHAT A VIEW NOW.

GET A CHANCE TO LOOK DOWN INTO THAT LOW AREA THAT'S BEEN ERODED OUT AND THEN SEE THAT LINE OF CINDER CONES IN THE DISTANCE.

EIGHT OR NINE DIFFERENT CONES AND WHEN DID THOSE ERUPT?

LONG, LONG TIME AGO?

YEAH, A THOUSAND OR SO YEARS AGO WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD GUESS AND THEN SOME ARE EVEN MORE RECENT.

LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT MORE RECENT FLOW, PROBABLY, RIGHT THERE.

MOST OF IT PAHOEHOE LAVA.

LOOKS LIKE IT; KIND OF ROUGH.

IT'S COMING RIGHT DOWN THE SIDE.

IT LOOKS LIKE ROUGH MATERIAL TO ME.

YOU CAN IMAGINE NOW THAT THIS CRATER-LOOKING SHAPE IS NOT ACTUALLY A CRATER, PER SE IT'S AN EROSION FEATURE-- WIND AND WATER DOING THE WORK AND THEN, EVERY NOW AND THEN, ON THE SIDES YOU CAN SEE STICKING UP, THE DIKES, THE HARDER ROCK THAT WAS INJECTED-- INTRUSIVE ROCK RIGHT THERE.

AND THE HAWAIIANS WOULD MINE THAT FOR AXES AND WHAT THINGS THEY NEEDED FOR TOOLS.

YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY SOLID MATERIAL AND IN THE CLOUDS OFF IN THE DISTANCE NOW THE TRADE WINDS BLOWING BRINGING MOISTURE OFF OF THE PACIFIC AND FORMING A CLOUD BANK BELOW US.

WE'RE HIGH ENOUGH NOW TO ACTUALLY BE LOOKING DOWN ON CLOUDS.

YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, RUDY, TOO IN LOOKING AT THIS CRATER WHY APOLLO ASTRONAUTS USED THIS TO TRAIN FOR THE MOON LANDING.

YEAH, IT DOES HAVE THAT REALLY BIZARRE LOOK-- NOT MANY PLANTS HERE AT ALL.

THE REDDISH COLORS-- IRON-RICH MATERIAL.

WE CAN SEE SOME YELLOWS, SULFUR.

ONCE A VERY HOT PLACE, COOLED NOW, AND AGAIN AS WE SAID, FOUNDATION FOR ALL THESE ISLANDS IS VOLCANIC ACTIVITY.

LET'S KEEP WALKING DOWN THE TRAIL.

OH, MAN, EVERY VIEW HERE IS SO NICE, ISN'T IT?

OH, THE PARK SERVICE HAS PROVIDED GREAT PLACES FOR SPECTACULAR LOOKOUTS.

WELL, THIS IS A GEOLOGICAL STORY, PAR EXCELLENCE.

I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS FANTASTIC STUFF, AND LOOKING ACROSS YOU CAN REALLY GET A FEELING, CAN'T YOU FOR THE EROSION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE OVER THERE-- THE WORK OF WIND AND WATER.

AND THE FACT THAT A PERIOD IN TIME WITH SO MANY TORRENTS OF RAIN THAT DROVE THIS DOWN 3,000 FEET.

THIS AREA WAS 3,000 FEET HIGHER-- TORRENTS OF RAIN.

INTERESTING, TOO, TO LOOK OFF INTO THE DISTANCE THERE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT DEEP-CUT VALLEY WITH MORE LUSH VEGETATION, IT LOOKS LIKE-- MAYBE A LITTLE EXTRA RAIN OVER THERE IN THE DISTANCE-- BUT THEN, OF COURSE, WHAT CATCHES OUR EYE HERE JUST LIKE IT DID THE OTHER PLACE ARE THOSE CINDER CONES, AND NOW, WE'RE POSITIONED... YOU CAN SEE THE CRATERS IN THE TOP SEE THE DEPRESSIONS PRETTY CLEARLY IN THE TOP OF THOSE THINGS.

SEVEN OR EIGHT, NINE OF THEM, PERHAPS MARCHING RIGHT ACROSS THE FLOOR OF THE CRATER AND THOSE CONES ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET HIGH SO FROM HERE, PERSPECTIVE IS LOST SOMEWHAT.

AND THEN MORE RECENT LAVA FLOW IS PRETTY OBVIOUS, TOO A LITTLE BIT OF MATERIAL STICKING UP ABOVE IT, UH FLOWED AROUND ON BOTH SIDES AND YOU SEE HEADING DOWN HERE TOWARD THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

AND THEN, THE DIKES, TOO.

AGAIN, YOU LOOK TO THE SIDE WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT DIKES A MOMENT AGO HARDER MATERIAL STICKING OUT LIKE SORE THUMBS SO TO SPEAK.

DOESN'T ERODE AS RAPIDLY AS THE REST.

AND THE FLOOR OF THIS CRATER DRAWS OUR ATTENTION SO OFTEN AND LOOKING AT IT IT'S BIGGER THAN ALL OF MANHATTAN AND THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.

AND LOOK TO THE SIDE OVER HERE NOW YOU CAN SEE THE CLOUDS OFF OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN COMING IN SLOWLY BUT SURELY, BLOWN BY THE WIND AND IT SOMETIMES EVEN COVERS THIS SPACE BELOW US.

THIS IS A SPECTACULAR VIEW.

AND THEN LOOK OFF IN THE DISTANCE THERE-- MAUNA KEA, MAUNA LOA.

AT THE BIG ISLAND, THOSE TWO ARE CLOSE TO 14,000 FEET.

OF COURSE, HERE AT HALEAKALA, IT'S 10,000 FEET.

THOSE ARE MUCH YOUNGER, MUCH BIGGER VOLCANOES.

STICKING UP ABOVE THE CLOUDS, TOO AND YOU CAN SEE THE ICE AND SNOW.

IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S STILL IN PLACE ON BOTH OF THEM.

SHIELD VOLCANOES-- THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

IT'S OBVIOUS FROM THIS VIEW.

THEY ALWAYS TELL YOU TO STAY ON THE TRAIL BUT SOME PLACES, THEY REALLY MAKE SURE YOU DO AND THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE RARE PLANTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE HERE.

WELL, THERE'S 28,000 ACRES IN THE PARK BUT ONE OF THE STARS OF THE ATTRACTION WOULD BE WHAT'S BEYOND THIS FENCE AND VERY RARE IN THIS PARK ITSELF.

YEAH, WELL, ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ENDEMIC SPECIES AND THAT'S THE GROUP OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS-- THE ENDEMICS-- THAT NEED THE MOST PROTECTION BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE NONNATIVE ONES THAT HAVE COME IN.

SILVERSWORD IS THE ONE THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE HERE AND THERE THEY ARE, SCATTERED OUT.

LITTLE BASAL ROSETTES OF LEAVES, THEY'RE CALLED.

STRANGE LITTLE PLANT BECAUSE IT LIVES A FAIRLY LONG TIME FLOWERS ONLY ONCE IN ITS LIFE; THEN AFTER FLOWERING, IT DIES.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NEW GROWTH, AND THERE ARE SILVERY-LIKE, HAIRLIKE STRUCTURES ON THOSE LEAVES.

YOU SEE THAT A LOT IN THE COMPOSITE FAMILY AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT IS ONE OF THE COMPOSITES UH, VERY CLOSELY RELATED TO THE OTHER ENDEMIC THAT WE SAW UP AT THE TOP WHEN WE BEGAN.

UH, NAHE-NAHE.

REMEMBER THAT ONE?

VERY, VERY CLOSELY RELATED, AND SOMETIMES THE TWO THINGS ACTUALLY HYBRIDIZE.

HAWAIIANS CALL THIS ONE AHINAHINA, WHICH MEANS GRAY-GRAY.

A PERFECT NAME FOR IT.

THE PLANT, WHEN DEAD, IS GRAY AS WELL.

GRAY IN LIFE AND GRAY IN DEATH, BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE COMPOSITES AND WHEN IT FLOWERS-- AND YOU CAN LOOK DOWN THE WAY AND SEE SOME OF THE DEAD STALKS-- WHEN IT FLOWERS, IT COMES UP FAIRLY TALL WITH COMPOSITE-LIKE FLOWERS, YOU KNOW CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS ON THE TOP AND THEN AFTER FLOWERING, IT DIES AWAY.

FOUND ONLY AT THE 7,000 TO 10,000 FOOT LEVELS AND HERE AT HALEAKALA IS THE HOME OF THE SILVERSWORD.

AND ENDANGERED BECAUSE FERAL GOATS GOT IN HERE YEARS AGO AND ATE THEM UP.

HUMANS HAVE DUG THEM UP, CARRIED THEM AWAY JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE INTERESTING.

THAT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO REALIZE-- MAN IS A PART OF NATURE, NOT SEPARATE FROM IT AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF IT AND THEY'VE DONE THAT FAIRLY WELL HERE.

THOSE ARE INTERESTING PLANTS, THOUGH FOUND NOWHERE ELSE ON THE EARTH THAN MAUI AND THE ISLAND OF HAWAII DOWN THE WAY.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

BEAUTIFUL WINTER DAY HERE IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ON MAUI AND YET, I SUPPOSE SUMMER OR WINTER THERE'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENCE.

PERHAPS A BIT COLDER IN WINTER.

YEAH, I WOULD SUPPOSE AND THIS IS SORT OF A SHRUB ZONE, ISN'T IT?

WE'RE DOWN A THOUSAND FEET OR SO FROM WHERE WE STARTED AND THE PLANTS HERE NOW ARE BIGGER, TALLER THAN THEY WERE ON THE TOP.

YOU REMEMBER?

HERE'S PUKI-AVE RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF US WITH FRUIT ON IT.

MUCH TALLER NOW THAN IT WAS UP HIGHER AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU GET IN THAT ALPINE ZONE YOU'VE GOT BASICALLY THE SAME PLANTS BUT THEY'RE PUSHED AND SHOVED BY THE ELEMENTS A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WHITE FRUIT ON IT, AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ALMOST A PINK OR A RED FRUIT AND THOSE THINGS WERE USED AS ORNAMENTATION FOR LEIS IN THE PAST.

INTERESTING TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT COLORS ON THE SAME PLANT.

RUDY, WHAT IS THE PLANT THAT HAS PRETTY LEAFY, ALMOST A PEA-LIKE FAMILY SHRUB?

IT IS IN THE PEA FAMILY-- THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT-- YELLOW FLOWERS, PEA-SHAPED FLOWERS, COMPOUND LEAVES.

SOFORA IS THE GENUS NAME FOR THAT, AND AGAIN IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK TREE-SIZED HERE BUT AS WE GO DOWN THE MOUNTAIN HERE DOWN THE VOLCANO, YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THAT IT'LL GET TALLER AND TALLER AND TALLER.

WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER ABOUT HOW PLANTS AND ANIMALS GET TO VOLCANIC ISLANDS-- THE CHALLENGE.

SEE THE LITTLE FRUIT ON IT, THE POD?

THE SEED IN THERE, IF YOU TAKE OUT INDIVIDUAL SEED AND DROP THEM IN THE WATER, THEY SINK TO THE BOTTOM.

THEY GO NOWHERE, BUT IN THAT POD, THEY FLOAT AND SO, THAT MAY BE ONE WAY THAT THAT PLANT GOT DISTRIBUTED TO THESE, UH, THESE ISLANDS.

I HAVE HEARD OF THE "THREE W's" THEORY-- THE WIND, THE WAVES AND WINGS OF BIRDS THAT PLANTS GOT TO THESE ISLANDS.

THAT MAKES PRETTY GOOD SENSE.

AND LOOK NOW AT THIS LEVEL.

THE CLOUDS WE'VE BEEN WATCHING COME IN HAVE MOVED IN AND REALLY ARE COVERING THAT SECTION DOWN THERE.

I SEE SOME TALLER TREES DOWN THERE.

KIND OF A CLOUD FOREST SORT OF SITUATION.

WE'LL WORK OUR WAY DOWN TO THAT IN A LITTLE WHILE BUT IT'S INTERESTING AGAIN WITH THE TRADE WINDS BRINGING MOISTURE OFF THE PACIFIC ONCE THEY BEGIN TO RISE THEN YOU HAVE CLOUDS FORMING BELOW YOU.

THIS TRAIL TAKES US TO ANOTHER GREAT LOOKOUT.

27 MILES AROUND THE RIM...

IT OFFERS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO LOOK AT MORE PLANTS.

YEAH, LOOK AT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE AS I CAME UP.

THE FRUIT-- THE ORANGE FRUIT STOPS YOU, DOESN'T IT?

UH, MOUNTAIN PILO IS THE COMMON NAME FOR IT AND I THINK POSITIONED RIGHT HERE MAKES REALLY GOOD SENSE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE, NOW THAT THAT SERVES AS FOOD FOR LOTS OF ANIMALS THAT WOULD BE ACTIVE IN THIS, UH, SHRUB ZONE.

IT'S IN THE COFFEE FAMILY.

RELATIVES IN NEW ZEALAND-- AND AGAIN, THE FRUIT WOULD EVEN BE SOMETHING NOW, RIGHT?

THAT WOULD PROBABLY BOB UP AND DOWN IN THE WATER AND THEN FIND ITS WAY OVER.

THAT SEEMS TO BE, LOOKING AROUND A PRETTY DOMINATE PLANT HERE.

VERY COMPACT LEAVES.

THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU JUST LOOK EVERYWHERE AND YOU SEE COMMONLY IS ONE OF VACCINIUMS.

UM, BLUEBERRY WOULD BE THE NAME THAT I WOULD HAVE FOR IT.

I SEE SOME WITH EARLY FRUIT FORMING ON IT, HANGING DOWN AND AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT A FOOD SOURCE FOR LOTS OF ANIMALS SO WHEN ANIMALS ARRIVED ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS THERE WAS ALREADY A FOOD SOURCE HERE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE PLANTS, AGAIN ARE THE ONES THAT SUPPORT ALL OF THE ANIMAL LIFE.

LOOK AT THAT.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON SHRUBBY SPECIES HERE.

IS THERE A REASON FOR THE SMALL LEAVES, RUDY, ON THESE PLANTS?

WELL, TO KEEP IN THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE-- I MEAN, KEEP FROM LOSING A LOT OF MOISTURE THAT CERTAINLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.

UH, I SEE ALSO A FERN.

LOOK AT THE SHRIVELED UP FRONDS ON A FERN THAT IS REALLY WIDESPREAD.

I THINK THAT LOOKS LIKE BRACKEN FERN TO ME.

VERY SMALL SPORES.

SO THAT, YOU WOULD IMAGINE, TO BE ALL OVER THE ISLANDS.

BLOWN IN BY THE WIND; ABSOLUTELY.

THE WIND COULD GET THAT, UH... SPORES OUT HERE VERY NICELY.

STEM IS UNDERGROUND THEN THE FRONDS COME UP LIVE AWHILE-- THEIR LEAVES-- AND DIE.

AND THEN, UH... AND THEN SEND NEW ONES UP.

THAT IS AN INTERESTING VIEW HERE THOUGH.

NOW, WE'VE GOT THE VOLCANIC MATERIAL MUCH MORE COVERED WITH VEGETATION THAN WE DID WHEN WE STARTED IN, AGAIN, THAT SHRUB ZONE.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW CREATING THIS AS A NATIONAL PARK IN 1916.

AND IT HAS SAVED THE PARK FOR SO MANY GENERATIONS TO ENJOY.

WELL, IT GIVES YOU SOME WONDERFUL VIEWS OF NATURE AND SOME OF THE GRANDEUR THAT IS NATURE AND THERE IS THAT OPENING BELOW US THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT A MOMENT AGO UP THE WAY.

LOOK AT THE EROSION, AGAIN, ON THE OTHER SIDE AND LOOK AT THOSE CLOUDS JUST SNEAKING IN SLOWLY BUT SURELY... WIND COMING OFF THE PACIFIC.

THAT'S AMAZING-- YOU CAN SEE ALMOST THROUGH THE CLOUDS AS THEY COME IN.

OF COURSE, THEY WARN HIKERS THAT HIKE THE FLOOR OF THE CRATER TO BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN CHANGES IN WEATHER.

IT CAN BE DESERT DRY AND HOT AND COLD AND TREACHEROUS IN THE SAME DAY.

YEAH, WELL, THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A CHILLY DAY SO FAR FOR US BUT I STAND AMAZED, AGAIN AT THE WAY WE CAN BE THIS HIGH SO THAT WE CAN SEE CLOUDS COMING IN BELOW US.

AND AGAIN, EVERY ROCK WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT MATERIAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS VOLCANIC MATERIAL.

IGNEOUS ROCK THAT WAS SPEWED OUT HERE IN THE PAST AND NOW IS SLOWLY BUT SURELY BEING WEATHERED AWAY CREATING GOOD SOILS FOR THESE PLANTS, HUH?

AND THE LAST ERUPTION-- 1790 I THINK, RUDY, ACROSS THE WAY THERE IS THE AREA THAT IT OCCURRED IN.

EVERY PARK OVERLOOK IS WORTH COMING OUT TO TO LOOK AT THE SCENERY BUT THERE'S SO MANY HIKING TRAILS... LET'S CONTINUE TO HIKE.

WHERE TO NEXT?

WELL, NEXT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAD ON DOWN A LITTLE BIT LOWER, LOSE SOME ELEVATION AND TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PLANTS THAT WERE INTRODUCED HERE IN THE EARLY 1900'S.

THIS IS HOSMER GROVE AT THE 6,800 FOOT LEVEL.

HOSMER WAS THE FIRST TERRITORIAL FORESTER AND PART OF REFORESTATION AFTER EROSION HE BROUGHT SEVERAL TREES IN.

SOME SURVIVED.

A LOT OF EXOTICS AND, BOY, EUCALYPTUS DOES WELL AT A PLACE LIKE THIS, DOESN'T IT?

LOOK AT THAT THING.

I WALKED AROUND IT TO SHOW THE SIZE.

IT'S HUGE.

GIGANTIC AND THESE ALIENS THAT YOU FIND ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS REMIND ME OF SOMETHING I WAS TOLD YEARS AGO: THAT EVERY SPECIES SHOULD BE FOUND EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD UNLESS ONE OF THREE THINGS HAPPEN.

FIRST, IT COULDN'T GET THERE.

SECONDLY, AFTER IT GOT THERE IT COULDN'T SURVIVE THERE.

OR THIRDLY, AFTER IT GOT THERE IT BECAME MODIFIED INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE AS FAR AWAY FROM CONTINENTAL MASSES AS ANY GROUP OF ISLANDS SO, MOST OF THE PLANTS COULDN'T GET HERE OR THE ANIMALS COULDN'T GET HERE.

THIS ONE COULDN'T GET HERE BUT MAN INTRODUCED IT AND IT SURVIVES BEAUTIFULLY AT A PLACE LIKE THIS.

RUDY, HERE'S A BIRD THAT WAS BROUGHT IN IN 1865.

RING-NECKED PHEASANT RIGHT OVER THERE.

THERE'S ANOTHER INTRODUCTION.

NOW, IT COULDN'T GET HERE ON ITS OWN BUT ONCE IT GOT HERE YOU SEE, IT CAN SURVIVE AND DO NICELY.

YEAH, THAT IS THE FEMALE.

LONG TAIL, ANYWAY, ON THAT ANIMAL AND JUST LOOKING FOR A MEAL, I SUPPOSE.

JUST LOOKING FOR A MEAL A LITTLE BIT AND FEEDS ON RIGHT IN THE OPEN AREAS LIKE THIS AND DOESN'T SEEM TO REALLY MIND OUR PRESENCE AT ALL, HUH?

OH, THAT'S INTERESTING.

LET'S HEAD ON DOWN THE TRAIL.

TWO-THIRDS OF HAWAIIAN FORESTS-- ORIGINAL FORESTS-- ARE GONE.

AND ALL THAT HOSMER BROUGHT IN DIDN'T GROW ONLY ABOUT A FOURTH OF WHAT HE BROUGHT IN.

WELL, NOT EVERYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT INTO PLACES LIKE THIS SURVIVES HERE BUT, OF COURSE, MAN HAS HAD A MAJOR EFFECT AND EVERY TIME I SEE SANDALWOOD I THINK OF THE HAND OF MAN IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

I MEAN, THESE USED TO DOMINATE AND LOOK, NOW THEY'RE JUST VERY FEW.

DOES HAVE NICE FLOWERS-- ALMOST A BRICK-RED COLOR BEFORE THEY OPEN.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT TREE TO THE HAWAIIAN INDUSTRIES IN MID-1800'S.

MOST PEOPLE WORKED... CABINETMAKING AND OTHER THINGS, YEAH.

OH, YEAH...

HEAVILY CUT AND NOW BARELY STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.

THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE VARNISH LEAF IS ONE OF THE COMMON NAMES FOR THAT PLANT.

IT'S PAN-TROPICAL.

I MEAN, IT'S ALL OVER THE TROPICS.

SHINY LEAVES-- YOU CAN SEE FRUIT ON IT.

MALE FLOWERS ON ONE PLANT FEMALE FLOWERS ON ANOTHER.

AND THEN, TALKING ABOUT FLOWERS LOOK AT THE 'OHI'A LEHUA FLOWERING DOWN THE WAY THERE.

UNBELIEVABLE CLUSTERS OF RED FLOWERS.

RED LEHUA ON THE 'OHI'A TREE.

OH, THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN PRODUCING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF NECTAR-- APAPANE JUST CAME IN-- LOOK AT IT... TO THE FLOWERS.

WOW.

RED BIRD, LITTLE WHITE UNDER THE BASE OF THE TAIL-- BLACK BILL... OH, THAT'S NEAT.

NECTAR FEEDER; ONE OF THE HONEY CREEPERS.

OH, YEAH.

THAT'S ONE YOU HOPE TO SEE.

THEY'RE EVEN MORE HARD TO CATCH HERE.

THERE'S A GLIMPSE OF HIM.

ON THAT BRANCH, YEAH.

LONG, CURVED HONEYCREEPER AGAIN.

IMMATURE.

THAT'LL BE BRIGHT RED ONCE IT GETS TO BE AN ADULT.

BUT LOOK AT THAT BEAK ON THAT THING.

AND THAT'S AN ENDEMIC SPECIES NOT FOUND ANYWHERE EXCEPT THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

NEAT BIRD.

THERE'S ANOTHER ENDEMIC SPECIES RIGHT THERE, JIM.

SILVER GERANIUM IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT AND YOU CAN SEE THE SILVERY HAIRS ALL OVER THOSE LEAVES.

KIND OF LIKE THE SILVERSWORD THAT WE SAW EARLIER.

SAME KIND OF ADJUSTMENT FOR HIGH-ALTITUDE LIFE.

BUT THAT'S AN ENDEMIC SPECIES FOUND ONLY ON THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND SINCE WE KNOW THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS ARE VOLCANIC THOSE THINGS WEREN'T HERE AT FIRST.

THEY MUST HAVE COME IN ONE FORM AND THEN SLOWLY, OVER TIME, CHANGED INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

SOME ADAPTED AND CHANGED SO MUCH THAT THEY BECAME EXTINCT.

THEY LOST THEIR DEFENSES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MAN CAME IN AND 75% OF ALL OF THE NATION'S PLANTS AND BIRDS THAT ARE NOW EXTINCT WERE ENDEMIC HAWAIIAN SPECIES.

YEAH, AND THE HAND OF MAN REALLY CHANGED THE FACE OF THESE ISLANDS.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

WE'RE AT ABOUT 6,800 FEET NOW.

ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT MAUI IS THAT, OF COURSE, YOU GO DOWN TO SEA LEVEL YOU REMEMBER THE OTHER DAY WHEN WE WERE THERE AT THOSE FRESH-WATER PONDS-- TOTALLY DIFFERENT AREA AND, OF COURSE, THOSE PONDS ARE PROTECTED AND SOME OF THE RARE BIRDS THAT WE WOULD LOOK FOR ON MAUI LIVE ONLY THERE.

ONE OF THE EASIEST BIRDS TO SPOT, FOR MANY VISITORS WOULD BE THE BLACK-NECKED STILT.

WE SAW THEM EVERYWHERE.

YEAH, AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD COMMON NAME, ISN'T IT?

BECAUSE THE LONG STILT-LIKE LEGS AND THAT BLACK ON THE NECK AND IT WAS A HAWAIIAN SUBSPECIES AGAIN, PROTECTED ON THE ISLANDS HERE.

LONG LEGS, THE TWO OF THEM, I REMEMBER IN THAT SHALLOW WATER.

UH, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, WALKING TOGETHER AND NOT EVEN LEAVING RIPPLES IN THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.

AND THE NIGHT HERON'S QUITE COMMON HERAS WELL.

OH, YEAH; WELL, WE GOT AS CLOSE A LOOK AS WE'VE EVER GOTTEN TO THE IMMATURE BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON.

REMEMBER THAT ORANGE IRIS IN THE EYE AND ALL THE STREAKING ON THE BODY.

AND THEN THE ADULT-- YOU REMEMBER FISHING AND HAVING SOME SUCCESS AND CHANGING FISH INTO BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON?

THAT WAS REALLY NICE.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE THE HAWAIIAN COOT...

I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING, TOO BECAUSE THE BLACKBIRD ON THE WATER WITH THE WHITE ON THE FRONT BUT IT EXTENDS MUCH FARTHER UP ON THE HEAD AS COMPARED TO THE AMERICAN COOT.

SO, THAT WAS A NICE ONE TO SEE... AND AGAIN, EXPECTED.

AND A RARE SIGHT, THOUGH THE KOLOA MAOLI, THE HAWAIIAN DUCKS.

YEAH, WE GOT A SHORT LOOK AT THAT BUT THOSE BIRDS ARE TYPICAL OF THESE ISLANDS-- THESE ISLANDS ALONE.

AND THEN THE SHOVELERS...

I ALWAYS LIKED THAT BIG BEAK ON THE SHOVELERS AND THEY WERE OFF IN THE DISTANT MALE AND FEMALE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL VISIT TO HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK HERE IN MAUI.

IT'S A TRIP THAT WE'LL REMEMBER FOR A LONG TIME.

OH, WHAT A SPECIAL PLACE.

AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU THINK OF VOLCANIC ROCK THAT COMES UP OUT OF THE OCEAN THEN PLANTS AND ANIMALS SOMEHOW FIND IT AND REALLY GET CHANGED THROUGH TIME.

I MEAN, THIS IS A WONDERFUL STORY-- WONDERFUL MIX.

VERY, VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

I HOPE WE CAN TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT.

MAHALO FOR WATCHING.

AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

AND SUNRISE AT HALEAKALA IS NO KAHOE.

THERE IS NONE BETTER.

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