Taylor Guitars Creates New Role And Hires Well Respected Environmentalist Scott Paul As Director Of Natural Resource Sustainability

For centuries instrument makers have enjoyed access to rich and plentiful supplies of many tonewood species - such as Mahogany, Ebony, Spruce and Rosewood - sourced from all over the world. However, today growing global demand for forest products and conversion of forests for agriculture is putting the availability of many traditionally used species at risk making responsible sourcing of forest products an increasingly vital part of the guitar industry's future. The recent decision to add Rosewood species to Appendix II of the U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is only the most recent demonstration of the acceleration in global concern for the world's forests.

As a leading-global guitar manufacturer, Taylor Guitars has committed significant resources over the past decade toward new and innovative projects to more sustainably use wood for musical instruments. However, today moving these efforts forward requires even greater communication and cooperation with environmental, social and government organizations - historically parties with vested, and at times competing, interests.

"Sustainability is not a destination.  It is a journey.  Five years ago we bought a sawmill in Cameroon, Africa to take responsibility for the ethical sourcing of Ebony.  Two years ago we started a company to improve the sustainability of Koa in Hawaii, and today our company takes another step forward toward a more sustainable future by hiring Scott and creating the role of Director of Natural Resources and Sustainability," says Bob Taylor, co-founder and president of Taylor Guitars. "Scott has an incredible breadth of knowledge and understanding of the global sustainability landscape. He has worked on all sides of the issue and he brings a principled but practical approach to developing solutions that work for everyone involved. The time is right for this role. Only through improved cooperation can we find common ground and move forward."

A natural fit for Taylor Guitars, Scott Paul is an experienced leader within the global sustainability community. His career has been devoted to forest protection and mitigating the effects of climate change. Paul has successfully impacted policy change on both local and international levels and has led some of the most innovative environmental campaigns of the two last decades.

"Taylor Guitars is well-known for its sustainability efforts and continues to set a high bar for responsible sourcing of forest products," Paul said. "I'm excited to come onboard at Taylor to help the company take their efforts a step further by improving its lines of communication and deepening its relationships with other organizations worldwide involved in ethical wood sourcing and forest conservation.  We plan to increase transparency and establish common goals between all interested parties."

For additional information, please visit us at www.taylorguitars.com/about/sustainability

About Taylor Guitars

Founded in 1974, Taylor Guitars is one of the world's leading manufacturers of premium acoustic guitars. Renowned for blending an innovative use of modern technology with a master craftsman's attention to detail, Taylor guitars are widely considered among the best sounding and easiest to play in the world. Many of today's leading musicians make Taylor their guitar of choice, including Jason Mraz, Zac Brown and Taylor Swift, among many others.

SOURCE Taylor Guitars

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