On thing that seems to remain constant on the slopes of Big Island volcanoes is the regeneration of plants.

This example was discovered on the western flank of Mauna Loa in the Nature Conservancy's Kona Hema Preserve.

Ferns are usually the first forms of life that arise from the lava and eventually make up much of the forests under canopy.

I like the way the new growth of ferns contrast against the decaying background of its ancestors. Deep in the shadows, the brilliant green stands out brilliantly.