Hawaiian Resort Supports Local Reforestation

Guests staying at any Aston Hotels & Resorts Hawaii Island destination will get the unique opportunity to enjoy a luxurious island holiday while helping the environment.

Aston Kona by the Sea, Aston Shores at Waikoloa, and Aston Waikoloa Colony Villas have launched "Leave a Legacy with Aston", a package that supports reforestation through the nonprofit Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative on the Island of Hawaii. This first-of-its kind opportunity that allows guests to plant their own Koa Legacy Tree and tour a historic forest on the slopes of the Mauna Kea volcano.

In just four years since the first tree was planted, the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, the nonprofit arm of sustainable forestry company Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods, has planted more than 250,000 endemic koa, sandalwood and other endangered Hawaiian species across more than 750 acres above the historic Umikoa Village. This site was once a majestic koa forest and the personal property of King Kamehameha the Great — the first king of Hawaii. With a goal of planting 1.3 million endemic trees, this ongoing project is a critical effort in returning pastureland to the majestic forest it once was.

The environmentally friendly packages start at $212 per night and include two adult tickets for the 90-minute Planters Tour, which includes one Koa Legacy Tree for planting. Each tour is a valuable contribution to the biodiversity of Hawaii's unique ecosystem, supporting cleaner air and water, mitigating global warming, and enhancing a habitat for native birds. Guests plant Legacy Trees to celebrate an event, honor an individual or memorialize a loved one, as well as offset their carbon footprint, and each guest receives a special certificate with a unique RFID code to track the tree's growth and view it online via Google Earth for years to come.

More information can be found on their website.