New hope for koa?

tobinsuke · May 11, 2015

I heard a story on NPR this afternoon and thought some here might find it interesting - I certainly did. It's about a new enterprise that will supposedly ensure koa trees in the future. Here is a link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechcon...and-technology-to-rebuild-hawaiis-koa-forests

Booli · May 11, 2015

Thanks for the link. That's a great story with hope for the future. Nice to see an investment being made into our Mother Earth.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles · May 11, 2015

That Legacy program has been around for many years. The real problem with the koa scarcity can be attributed to the containers full of koa being shipped to China to be made into veneer. We should do what New Zealand does with their paua abalone; make sure the best stays home for their artisans.

Pete Howlett · May 12, 2015

Unfortunately China has little of its own timber resources - the cultural revolution and lack of accessible fossil fuels saw consumption at an enormous rate. Bart Potter harvested usable koa after 30 years. You don't hear much about Bart these days. Is he still in business?

Michael Smith · May 12, 2015

Good Story, I wonder how the koa trees are doing that were planted here in California. Seems like they might get huge in place like florida, someone should try. I would plant them at my place but I get a little too cold in the winter.

lauburu · May 13, 2015

We should do what New Zealand does with their paua abalone; make sure the best stays home for their artisans.

Yes, that's the theory. Unfortunately, paua poaching is rife and a lot of paua meat gets shipped off to China illegally. Presumably the shells are dumped offshore by the poachers.
Miguel

Moore Bettah Ukuleles · May 13, 2015

lauburu said:
Yes, that's the theory. Unfortunately, paua poaching is rife and a lot of paua meat gets shipped off to China illegally. Presumably the shells are dumped offshore by the poachers.
Miguel

That settles it. I'm moving to China.

Inksplosive AL · May 13, 2015

Saw a show years ago want to say America undercover on HBO maybe an episode called animals love em or hate em. It showed among other things a little girl getting all excited and happy jumping up and down clapping while picking out a beautiful cat from a cage...

to eat. If you eat domestic pets that were bred to be pet animals I have nothing nice to say about you. The world would be a better place without nasty pet eating, bug eating, whale killing wastes of space and air. If you like I can tell you how I really feel about such human insects.

From what Ive been led to believe koa only comes from Hawaii while acacia wood aka monkey pod is the same species growing under different conditions. Truth?

Beau Hannam Ukuleles · May 13, 2015

monkey pod isn't an acacia.

http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/monkeypod/

Acacia list (2nd from top)

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-identification/by-scientific-name/

RPA_Ukuleles · May 13, 2015

I dated a girl named Acacia, her hair was very curly.

Inksplosive AL · May 14, 2015

Interesting and informative I guess I was a bit high after getting teeth pulled earlier yesterday and worded my question wrong.

Ive read that the same species plant grown in different climates at times can take on totally different characteristics. I was wondering if koa transplanted and grown in a different climate is still koa wood.

New hope for koa?

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