The demise of the sugar plantations in Hawaii resulted in an eventual dramatic increase in real estate values Statewide.  New farms and ranches as well as residential subdivisions have begun to bring new populations to the Hamakua coast.  People with means to purchase and care for a large tract of land that may not be suitable for agriculture would want highest and best use for their property.  Realizing the long term value of planting trees for future generations  to use in the creation of jobs and value added wood products, and the benefits of tax deductions now, folks will be eager to consult with Micah Miller, Certified Tropical Forester.  You may visit our site to see established plantings of hardwood species.
     Many of the world's tropical hardwoods will grow very well, without becoming invasive to Hawaii's fragile ecosystems.  These renewable resources can be a source of jobs for our young people, as well as products for the housing industry. 
     We have several species from Queensland, Australia that do well at our 1500' to 1600' elevation site on the wet slopes of Mauna Kea where we sometimes get twenty feet or more of annual rainfall.  In less than one decade these tube seedlings grew to be nice stands of trees.  When mature, in thirty years or so, they can be milled into cabinet and flooring stock, door and window frames, as well as furniture stock.
      It is convenient that these trees sequester carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, but more interesting is to witness the impact on the soil conditions as they improve.  Soils regain their texture, leaf litter creates an ecology supportive of soil organisms, and roots tie the soil together preventing erosion.  Forestry is highest and best use for overworked and abused old canelands.