Loss of the Hawaiian Rain Forest

Since the arrival of man in the Hawaiian Islands, over half of the native forests have been lost.  Since its inception in 2014, The Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) has been working hard to reverse this trend and return these forests to the native landscape. Working together with community minded businesses, non-profits and individual Legacy Tree sponsors, more than 400,000 endemic trees now cover nearly 1200 acres in the state’s first Hawaiian Legacy Forest.

When you select to plant a Legacy Tree, your real contribution is that this simple act repeated by so many will create a forest.  The world is losing forest cover at an alarming rate that shows no sign of letting up.  Reversing this trend has proven a very difficult challenge.

A forest is much more than just an area filled with trees.  It is a dynamic and living entity all its own.  As a living entity, it grows and evolves over time.  Like any society of individuals, its members grow and contribute and all will eventually die, making way for new members.  This cycle of evolution molds the individual plantings into a forest.

Our commitment to the Legacy Tree sponsor is to monitor and nurture this development from a collection of individual trees into an endemic Hawaiian ecosystem supporting a diverse population of plant and animal life.  You are providing the raw materials to make this possible.

“This cycle of evolution molds the individual plantings into a forest.”

Of the many trees planted to initiate this process, some will become the stars of the forest while others will be supporting actors.  Some of the trees will die along the way and some will have to be removed for the overall health of the forest.  Our TreeTrackerTM  system allows you to check on the trees you have sponsored through the years.  If at any time you find that a tree you sponsored has died, let us know.  We will check on your tree and if it has died we will plant a new one on your behalf at our cost.  This will allow the forest to expand and evolve with you as an ongoing part of this evolution.

For at least the next 50 years of our lease, we will shepherd the Legacy Trees into a vibrant and evolving ecosystem.  Thank you for being part of this adventure.