Pacific Edge Magazine

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson

The Hawaii Convention Center, Hawaii Tourism Authority and visitor industry leaders throughout the state are coming together to help grow the world's only Hawaiian Legacy Forest, one endemic tree at a time.

Last fall the Hawaii Convention Center and Hawaii Tourism Authority launched a historic effort to plant more than 1 million native trees for permanent reforestation across the state.

This commitment represents a game-changing opportunity for Hawaii's hospitality industry, allowing a wide range of hotels and resorts to serve as environmental leaders through individualized levels of participation in reforesting Hawaiian Legacy Trees.

"We want our hospitality partners throughout Hawaii, no matter what their size, to be able to join this effort and be recognized for re-establishing these native forests in a way that honors the Hawaiian culture and history of these islands," says Teri Orton, general manager of the Hawaii Convention Center.
In the past seven years, the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) and sustainable forestry company HLH have planted more than 350,000 koa, sandalwood and other rare native Legacy Trees and restored more than 1,200 of pristine endemic forest.

Each of these trees is tracked using state-of-the-art proprietary radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, which measures the impact of each tree sponsorship in what is the most intricately mapped forest in the world. HLRI will be launching Legacy Tree plantings on Oahu this year.

"Over its lifetime, one tree generates more than $160,000 in various benefits to society-oxygen, air pollution control, water recycling and soil erosion prevention. Now imagine what a forest can do," says Jeff Dunster, executive director of HLRI.

The planting of just one Legacy Tree can absorb enough carbon to offset a one-week vacation in Hawaii for a family of four visiting from the U.S. West Coast, in addition to providing critical habitat for some of Hawaii's rarest birds, like the Hawaiian owl (pueo), Hawaiian hawk ('io) and the Hawaiian nene, all of which are endangered species.

"Fewer than 10 percent of these native forests remain," says John Farias, HLRI's chairman. "ln collaboration with numerous individuals, organizations and businesses, we are creating and preserving these trees. By integrating Hawaii's unique environment and rich cultural history with state-of-the-art technologies, we can inform and educate visitors while providing them with a tree-planting experience that cannot be matched anywhere in the world."

The Hawaii Convention Center, which as a multifaceted sustainability plan that includes energy efficiency, water conservation, air quality, waste reduction and sustainable purchasing, has a permanent third-floor exhibit that includes an interactive HLRI kiosk where guests and partners can sponsor Legacy Trees for reforestation. It is also home to the third in a historic 14-part featherwork and painting series inspired by the legendary Hawaiian leaders depicted in the painting "Aha'ula O Kamehameha Kunuiakea" by Hawaiian artist and historian Brook Kapukuniahi Parker.

Legacy Trees can be sponsored for permanent reforestation by individuals and businesses through LegacyTrees.org, with a portion of proceeds donated to charities worldwide. Tours of the Hawaii Island Legacy Forest can be booked through HawaiianLegacyTours.com. To take a virtual tour of the Convention Center's Legacy Forest, visit LegacyTrees.org.

"We encourage Hawaii hotels and resorts to get involved in growing this native forest," Orton says. "The impact of this commitment will demonstrate how the power of one group working together can literally change the face of Hawaii."

To participate as a hotel or resort partner, contact the Hawaii Convention Center at (808) 943-3536.