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TheBuzz

BY ERIKA ENGLE

Tuesday, July 10, 2001

Tree tech
hits the Web

One of at least three Hawaii organizations known as HFIA -- in this case, the Hawaii Forest Industry Association -- has launched a new Web site at www.hawaii-forest.org. The other HFIA's include the Hawaii Food Industry Association and the Hawaii Fashion Industry Association, both of which, unlike the forest industry group, are members of the Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association, or HFMA -- but back to the tree people ...

The very first thing the forest industry Web site tells the viewer is that the organization is "dedicated to responsible forest management." This HFIA sponsors an annual woodworking exhibition to promote local wood and serves as an "advocate for Hawaii's diverse forest industry from tree planting and harvesting to creating and selling wood products."

As such, the site map is a virtual koa treasure chest of information and links within Hawaii's wood-related industry. The links connect the site-surfer to information relevant to contractors, interior designers, environmentalists, lobbyists, hobbyists and consumers -- oh, and to forest-industry types as well.

The "Reports" link offers titles such as, "Market Report on 8 Hawaii-Grown Trees," "Business Assistance Report" and "Hawaii's Tropical Forest Recovery Act."

The directory of woodworkers is just that, providing names, mailing and e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of the woodworkers and their specialties, from bracelets, hair accessories and decorative sculpture to jewelry boxes, carousel horses, furniture and cabinetry.

For those woodworkers there's also a directory of sawmill suppliers, arborists, nurseries, retail galleries, information about "Hawaii's Wood Branding Application," and a link to information about the Hawaii Woodshow 2001, set for Sept. 8-16 at pier 10 in Aloha Tower marketplace.

The so-called "quick links" on the site direct the wood or tree enthusiast to Web pages featuring timber domes, a woodworking museum, a guide to forestry Web sites, the state forestry site and others.

The 12-year-old nonprofit organization estimates that the local forest industry is worth $29 million per year while providing more than 1,000 jobs.

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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com