Boulder, Colorado, 3 February, 2003 - A lava-rock palace on the Big Island of Hawaii will be the site of one of Heritage Conservation Network's 2003 series of hands-on building conservation workshops. The workshop, to be held July 20-26, 2003 at Hulihe'e Palace in Kailua-Kona, is part of HCN's continuing effort to provide technical assistance to preservation projects while offering an opportunity for students, conservators and other interested parties to learn specialized building conservation skills. 

Hulihe'e Palace, completed in 1836, was built using a number of materials indigenous to Hawaii. The three-foot-thick lava rock walls have lime putty mortar and lime plaster made from volcanic potash and coral gathered from the ocean, and building timbers are koa and 'ohi'a wood. The Palace has been a museum since 1925, and the goal of current conservation work involves repointing and replastering the lava rock walls. Workshop participants may also assist with the conservation of the original fish ponds that provided meals for the royal residents. 

"This workshop presents an excellent opportunity for people to do some preservation work in what is, of course, a beautiful location. It is also a rare opportunity to learn to work with these unusual indigenous materials. As with all our workshops, we anticipate that participants will have made an important contribution to a significant preservation project and be able to take what they've learned and apply it - either on a professional level or a personal one - to projects of their own", says Jamie Donahoe, HCN's Operations Director. 

An on-site conservation expert guides and teaches participants through the week-long project, so participants need only an interest in preservation and a willingness to learn while they work. Patrick McAfee, a leading expert in the use of lime putty and a renowned stone mason from Ireland, will lead the workshop. 

The cost of the workshop is US$ 875, which includes lodging, breakfasts and lunches, insurance, and workshop materials. Pre-registration is required; registration materials and more workshop details are available from HCN's web site at www.heritageconservation.net or from their office at 1557 North Street, Boulder, Colorado, 80304, USA. Phone +1 303 444 0128, Fax +1 775 320 6837, E-mail workshops@heritageconservation.net. 

Heritage Conservation Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of architectural heritage around the world. Through a network of experts, volunteers and community members, the organization aims to increase awareness of the significance of historic sites and stimulate each community's interest in and knowledge of appropriate conservation skills, thus helping to provide for the long-term preservation of significant structures and sites.