Vast coral reefs create a world of abundance

A new Hawaiian island takes 10 million years to subside and erode to sea level, yet its foundation continues to support life far beyond that. On the back of the eroded mountain range, tiny corals build extensive reefs. Because of their age and extreme isolation, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to one of the largest and healthiest reef communities in the world. Their dazzling waters and atolls host a striking variety of life, one quarter of which cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. Their global importance also encompasses living cultural connections to the ocean. Proclaimed Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in 2006, it joined Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park as the state's second World Heritage Site in 2010. These sites are places where nature and culture are one.

Kalapana, Hawaii · United States