Koa (Acacia koa) is a legume tree native to Hawaii. It is found on all the big islands and grows from near sea-level to the tops of the mountains, although it prefers the moist sites between 3,000 ...

The rising value of koa wood--used for everything from Hawaiian canoes to hand-crafted ukuleles--has led to increasing thefts and a black market for the traditional hardwood, authorities say.

Koa wood, native to Hawaii, is prized for its durability, vibrant grain, and warm, reddish-brown tone. Hawaiian artisans craft koa into everything from bowls to jewelry boxes to elegant furniture.

The koa home, Mana Hale, was built by the ranch’s founder, John Palmer Parker, in about 1855 and was relocated to its current location in 1987. In Hawaii, it’s pretty common to see koa bowls ...

It’s now the home of Hawaiian Legacy Tours and the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, which together offer the chance to plant a baby koa or sandalwood in a 1,000-acre tract on the slopes ...