What does it take to plant a tree? I always thought it was an easy thing: dig a hole, drop a seed in it, cover up the hole, pour on a little water then let nature take its course.

And I guess you could do it that way. But I kinda like how Kanileʻa ʻUkulele is doing it. They’re planting trees with a purpose. And they’re doing it while running a successful ʻukulele manufacturing company in Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi.

HInow host Kanoe Gibson caught up with the co-owners of Kanileʻa ʻUkulele, Joe and Kristen Souza, to see the process of planting a Hawaiian endemic tree.

NANI ʻEKOLU

On a parcel of land in the Kealakekua district of Hawaiʻi Island between the 4,000 and 5,000 foot elevation level, you’ll find Nani ʻEkolu. This is private land acquired by the Souzas in 2014 for one purpose: to restore the native Hawaiian forest that used to exist there. One third of the land is covered in old growth forest but the rest was ravaged by ranching, feral species, invasive flora and live cutting. In the stark savanna is where Hawaiian endemic trees (found growing naturally nowhere else in the world) are being planted.

Each tree planted represents a Kanileʻa ʻUkulele built over the 20+ years the company has been in business. And when that goal is reached? They will continue to plant enough trees to represent all the nations of the world TIMES ONE THOUSAND.

THE WORK ETHIC OF THE SOUZAS

Sounds like a pretty lofty goal. But if anyone can do it, this tenacious couple can. In 1998, Joe Souza started up Kanileʻa ʻUkulele with a few tools in his garage. Having learned his luthiery skills from Peter Bermudez of Haʻikū ʻUkulele and with uncle Pete’s blessing, Joe began to craft his own ʻukulele combining traditional techniques with modern technology. They’ve since moved out of the garage and into a 9,000 square foot facility with 22 employees. And he accomplished all of this with his wife Kristen and his three sons by his side.

So if anyone can plant 195,000 Hawaiian endemic trees (195 countries X 1,000), it’s going to be the Souzas.

HOW TO SPONSOR YOUR OWN TREE

Find out more about the Souzas work on Nani ʻEkolu at www.reforesthawaii.org. There, you can join the movement through donations for soil, water, maintenance or you could even sponsor your own tree, just like Kanoe Gibson did! (Watch the video.) And you’ll be able to visit the tree virtually on Google Earth using the coordinates on the certificate of planting. One tree. One sponsor. Sponsor a tree in the name of a newborn child, as a gift for a married couple or in memory of a loved one.

Another way to show support is to pick up the Ola Ka ʻĀina CD. 13 original compositions were gifted to the project by Kanileʻa ʻUkulele artists like Willie K., Kapena, Ben & Maila, kumu hula Cody Pueo Pata, Jonah Solatorio of Keauhou and more. All proceeds benefit the non-profit organization Saving Hawaiʻi’s Forests which is dedicated to restoring, maintaining and protecting our native Hawaiian forests. Available on iTunes, Spotify, CDBaby and at www.kanileaukulele.com.