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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Furniture maker, lumber company promote koa reforestation

Advertiser Staff

Martin & MacArthur and Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods are launching a partnership to promote re-forestation of koa in Hawaii.

With every purchase of Martin & MacArthur furniture beginning Thursday, a new koa tree will be planted on the Big Island in the customer's honor.

Additionally, for $59, customers may also fund the planting of a new koa tree, receiving a certificate of planting and naming rights to the tree.

The customer will receive a certificate recognizing the koa tree planted in honor of anyone or any event they designate. This certificate will also note the unique radio frequency identification code and GPS coordinates for this tree, enabling customers to track the exact location of the tree using mapping Web sites.

"While koa is not an endangered wood, we want to do our part in returning this historic land to lush koa forest," explains Michael Tam, Martin & MacArthur CEO. "Now our customers can directly help re-forest koa here in Hawaii."

The koa trees are planted through Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods' sustainable forestry project in the historic Umikoa Village of the Big Island. The 2,700-acre plantation – once the personal property of King Kamehameha I – is located on the slopes of Mauna Kea in an area that was once a koa forest, but more recently had been used for cattle grazing. Arrangements can be made to visit a specific tree in Umikoa Village by contacting Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods with at least two weeks' prior notice.

To celebrate the introduction of the re-forestation program, Martin & MacArthur will hold a koa furniture sale at its five retail locations on Oahu and Maui and its Honolulu furniture workshop.