Hawaii Ecotourism Association (HEA) is Hawaii’s premier non-profit organization committed to diversifying Hawaii’s visitor industry through advocacy, education and promotion of ecotourism and sustainable travel (“Keeping Hawaii Green”). HEA believes that the tourism industry can thrive while protecting and perpetuating our islands’ unique natural and cultural resources. Done correctly, ecotourism greatly enhances a traveler’s experience while avoiding undesirable impacts on our community.
We encourage businesses in Hawaii to improve the visitor’s experience by providing insightful and educational experiences that foster an understanding of what makes Hawaii unique. There are also new and exciting projects that provide opportunities that benefit the community while supporting sustainable travel such as the Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods initiative. Individuals can sponsor the planting of a native tree—30% is donated to HEA and 100% of the sponsorship is to help the forest.
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Through the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods (HLH) is partnering with other like-minded individuals and organizations to restore 1,000 acres of historic koa forest on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island. HLH is donating 1,000 acres of its sustainable koa project to help this reforestation effort. |
This once pristine tropical forest was the personal property of King Kamehameha I - the first King of Hawaii. Sadly, the land was cleared nearly a century ago to make room for farming and ranching. Fortunately, some of the old growth koa trees still reside on the property. HLH is utilizing these trees as the seed source for all Legacy Trees in an effort to return this tropical forest to its former glory. |
Growing the Future
Hawaii’s ecosystem took millions of years to create and only a few hundred years to ravage. The ‘akiapōlā’au is Hawaii’s native woodpecker. It evolved to eat the larva of the endemic, long-horned, wood-boring beetle that lays its eggs in dead branches of koa trees. This amazing, federally endangered bird is completely dependent on native forests for its survival. Our efforts, combined with yours, will help bring back native habitat for this and several of Hawaii’s endangered birds.
Planting 1.3 Million Trees
We are helping to plant 1,000 acres for reforestation on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. In addition to koa, we’ll be planting native understory trees and shrubs like sandalwood, naio, mamane, ohia, and akala. In the Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge on Hawai’i Island they planted 750,000 trees and understory plants over the past 25 years and the native birds have returned. It’s a success story that we can all build a better future on.
Track Your Tree
Each tree has a RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag with GPS tracking that provides a unique signature and includes the sponsor’s name, honoree, date planted, and the location of the tree (as you can see with all the white tags in the photo in column two). In the future you’ll be able to go online and zoom in on the area your tree is planted using applications like Google Earth. By contacting Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods Reforestation Initiative at least two weeks in advance, you can even visit the tree you sponsored.
Plant A Tree Today!
Give the gift of a living legacy by sponsoring a Koa Legacy Tree. You will receive a beautiful, engraved certificate and the knowledge you are supporting a great cause while contributing to the reforestation of Hawaii.
