The Color Green by Jacob Metz

Kaulana Manu Nature Trail, State Route 200, Hilo, HI

jametz1 — 2023-12-05 09:02:02 UTC

Kaulana Manu was by far my favorite location that we visited. There was lush greenery everywhere, the air was crisp, the only sounds were of the birds chirping and the crunch of leaves underneath my feet. I feel like I could get lost in that trail for hours, despite it not being that long of a hike. It's hard not to find greenery up there, you're surrounded by it the whole hike. The amount of different species on that short hike alone is baffling. How there's enough nutrients in the soil for all of those plants to survive is beyond me. It would seem like the plants near to the ground wouldn't get enough sun because of the taller trees blocking out the sun, but they seem to be thriving despite all of that, which is just amazing to me.

Coconut Island, Hilo, HI

jametz1 — 2023-12-05 10:56:39 UTC

While it's not surprising to see greenery this close to the water, Moku Ola is significant to me in the fact that the variance of species and elevations that greenery is found on this island. As shown in the picture, there are shorter but very wide trees, while in other places you can find taller trees with not as much leafage. It's just so interesting to me to see and learn how different plant species have adapted to best thrive in the environment that they live. As well as this, it's amazing to me how greenery can be found from sea level, to 14,000 feet above sea level, to all the way at the bottom of the ocean.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI

jametz1 — 2023-12-05 11:13:03 UTC

Volcanoes National Park is like Moku Ola but on the other side of the spectrum in terms of height, along with Mauna Loa. When I first went up to Volcanoes, I expected there to be a little bit of greenery, but I didn't expect the amount of flora that I saw. There is a wide range of different species of plants that I couldn't begin to name if I tried. The main thing that I wonder is where these plants are finding all of the nutrients they need to survive, because the soil they live in doesn't look very healthy by any means. The ability for plants to survive in seemingly "impossible" conditions is something that I will never understand.

Maunakea Visitor Information Station, Mauna Kea Access Road, Hilo, HI

jametz1 — 2023-12-05 22:51:08 UTC

Mauna Kea is similar to the other volcanoes in that there is an astounding amount of life for how high of an elevation they're located at. The aweoweo plant, named after the aweoweo fish, is a very interesting plant that smells just like the fish. The ahinahina, or silversword, is another plant that, like the aweoweo, is endemic to Hawai'i. This plant has adapted to the harsh conditions of the top of Mauna Kea. Something that surprised me at Mauna Kea was the fact that there was such a variance of color even at the higher elevation that we were at. As seen in the picture, there is so many different shades of green, from dark green to a light green that fades into a yellow.