Planting of 200,000 koa trees announced

Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods has announced the planting of its 200,000th native koa tree on the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii island.

The latest plantings on 500 acres of former pastureland are focused on koa, but the company also has planted other native species including ohia, mamane, naio, ko’oko’olau, kukaenene and both varieties of iliahi (Hawaiian sandalwood), according to a statement.

Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, founded in 2008, has been selling blocks of 100 seedlings to investors, with a goal of planting as many as 1.3 million trees by 2016.