The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is the single largest conservation area under the U.S. flag, and one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. It encompasses 139,797 square miles of the Pacific Ocean  - an area larger than all the country’s national parks combined.

The extensive coral reefs found in Papahānaumokuākea - truly the rainforests of the sea - are home to over 7,000 marine species, one quarter of which are found only in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Many of the islands and shallow water environments are important habitats for rare species such as the threatened green turtle (pictured above) and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. On less than six square miles of land over 14 million seabirds representing 22 species breed and nest. Land areas also provide a home for four species of bird found nowhere else in the world, including the world’s most endangered duck, the Laysan duck.

Photo: Mark Sully

June is National Oceans Month. To celebrate, we will highlight great beaches across the country that are on public lands throughout the week.

The first photo come from the Oregon Coast, which is a popular summer destination.  Of the 180 marine and coastal refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge complex has the highest visitation.  Oregon Islands Refuge includes more than 1,400 coastal islands, rocks, and reefs scattered along the 320 miles of the Oregon coast. Visitors are especially drawn to viewing more than a million seabirds that breed in the refuge. Nationwide, coastal and marine national wildlife refuges contributed at least $900 million to local economies in 2010, with National Park Service coastal units contributing an additional  3.5 billion.

Photo by by Roy Lowe, FWS

Volcanoes are monuments to Earth’s origin, evidence that its primordial forces are still at work. During a volcanic eruption, we are reminded that our planet is an ever-changing environment whose basic processes are beyond human control. As much as we have altered the face of the Earth to suit our needs, we can only stand in awe before the power of an eruption.

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a fascinating world of active volcanism, biological diversity, and Hawaiian culture, past and present.

Photo: Yvone Baur, National Park Service 

Hikers pause along the Lost Coast Trail to take in the beauty of the Bureau of Land Management’s King Range National Conservation Area in northern California. Learn more about this unit of BLM’s Conservation System here. 

Photo: Bob Wick - Bureau of Land Management