Siglo Tonewoods

Reforesting Hawai'i’s koa for future generations.

“We’re researching the best ways to sustainably produce trees, forests and koa wood for generations to come. Our focus on new planting and forest recovery is good for land stewardship, and the community.”

Fast Facts

7,200 Acres

In forest recovery projects

1,600 Trees

Orchard for wilt-resistant koa seed

113,000 Trees

State-approved koa reforestation project

25 Koa Trees

Planted for each tree harvested

A Partnership and a Vision

Siglo Tonewoods was formed in 2015 as a partnership with a vision. To conserve, restore and grow one of Hawai'i’s great assets – the koa – and to continue the musical legacy of koa for generations to come, by ensuring its long-term abundance.

Koa lumber was widely available until the late 1900s, and for a long time was a by-product of land clearing for agriculture in Hawai'i. After that, it was harvested chiefly, and unpredictably, from salvage, dead and dying trees. By 2015, it had become almost unavailable. At this time, Bob Taylor (Taylor Guitars) and Steve McMinn (Pacific Rim Tonewoods) began looking into the "why". Their idea was to create continuous instrument wood supplies by growing and restoring koa forests, and to create a bridge to these future supplies by carefully using the wood available in the present.

A Model for Commercial Native Forest Management

At Siglo, we’re not just planting koa trees—we’re building a
demonstration forest; a forest based on the best available science and tree growing techniques. We have invested heavily in research to further our understanding of how to grow native forest species. Focussing on koa in a commercial context, we're also planning for climate change resiliency through disease resistant cultivars. One day, we hope that Siglo will be a model for other stewards and land managers to consider koa forestry as part of their land management strategy.

SoundOff

Tavana

Tavana, musician and songwriter from Hawai'i, plays a koa guitar built by Taylor Guitars.