Our Cause

"The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is now." -Ancient Chinese Proverb

Hawaii is home to over 10,000 unique species of plants and animals. Unfortunately, due to over-development, Hawaiian plants and animals make up 25% of the country's endangered species, prompting the World Wildlife Federation to dub Hawaii "the endangered species capital of the world."

A portion of Ohe Bamboo's proceeds go to support the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI), which is a nonprofit organization working to restore the decimated Kin Koa, Royal Sandalwood, and Monarch Milo forests in Hawaii. In the last 6 years, HLRI has taken 1000 acres of denuded pastureland and reestablished an entire intact endemic ecosystem (the world’s first Hawaiian Legacy Forest). HLRI has planted more than 300,000 endemic trees on the Island of Hawaii and has commitments for nearly 700,000 more over the coming years–well on its way to its overall goal of planting 1.3 million trees (one for each man, woman, and child in Hawaii).

HLRI has been recognized globally for groundbreaking innovations. Through state-of-the-art technologies and proprietary forest management practices, HLRI is promoting long-term forest health, carbon sequestration, ecosystem diversity, and unparalleled data collection for research and development, all while creating green jobs for Hawaii families. HLRI also supports the efforts of more than 330 other nonprofits through the planting of Legacy Trees. Most importantly, it does all of this in a way that honors the Hawaiian culture.

For more information about HLRI, please visit www.legacytrees.org