Demand for Hawai‘i Island Koa Remains Strong

Photo courtesy of HLH, LLC.

Sustainable forestry company HLH, LLC announced that it has reached its annual planting capacity for koa trees, marking the eighth consecutive year it has reached capacity. The Hawai‘i Island company has sold out annually since it began in 2010, reflecting a continuing global surge in timber demand, according to HLH.

“The demand for tropical hardwoods continues to grow worldwide, with tree farms like ours meeting only a small fraction of the market,” said Jeff Dunster, CEO of HLH. “We use a sustainable forestry model that reduces the destruction of old-growth trees in Hawai‘i. The continued success of this forest showcases the ability to grow economically viable forests while supporting the return of rare and endangered wildlife, and healthy ecosystems.”

HLH uses a proprietary radio-frequency identification (RFID) tracking system that allows investors to track growth of koa online throughout their 25-year harvest duration. Using TreeTrackerTM, investors can access up-to-date, high-resolution imagery of their forest lot.

Since 2014, HLH has been recognized as a “B Corp Best for the Environment” honoree from the nonprofit B Lab. HLH was accredited as a certified B Corporation in 2013, joining companies that align their business practices with solving social, environmental and economic problems.

In a news release, HLH said it is promoting long-term forest health, carbon sequestration, ecosystem diversity, data for research and development and green jobs for Hawai‘i residents. The company also stated it has reforested more than 400,000 endemic and native trees in Hawai‘i, in partnership with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI).