Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park Hosts Sea-Level Rise Presentation Wednesday

Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park is hosting its “Evening in the Park Series on Wednesday, May 25 in the amphitheater on the grounds.

A presentation on sea-leval rise by Phil Thompson and Ashley Hiʻilani Sanchez from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa begins at 6:30 p.m.

Sea-level rise is impacting island communities across the Pacific, and the frequency and severity of impacts are certain to increase in coming decades, park officials stated in a news release on Tuesday.

Thompson will discuss how the impacts of sea-level rise are expected to evolve in Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, as well as plans for tools that communicate the risk posed to the park. Sanchez will discuss the methods and results of current research being done at the park to further address these risks.

Thompson is an assistant Professor in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and director of the University of Hawaii Sea level Center. He also serves as the principal investigator for research projects funded by USGS, NOAA, and NASA focused on understanding decadal climate variability, future tidal flooding, and the interaction of sea level and waves in the nearshore environment.

Sanchez is a graduate student in the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, currently pursuing a master’s degree in Physical Oceanography. She was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu and graduated from Mililani High School.