Taylor Guitars Releases Study on Link Between African Forest Elephants and GuitarsTaylor Guitars, a leading global maker of premium acoustic instruments, has released groundbreaking research demonstrating that African forest elephants play a crucial role in the survival of ebony trees, the wood used in nearly every Taylor guitar fingerboard. The findings, published in Science Advances, come after nearly a decade of community-driven conservation work in Cameroon through The Ebony Project, a partnership led by Taylor co-founder Bob Taylor and the Congo Basin Institute.“When I met Tom Smith eight years ago, I never imagined that Taylor Guitars’ commitment to responsible ebony sourcing would lead to discoveries about elephant poop,” said Bob Taylor. “But that’s exactly what happened, and the implications are profound for both conservation and the future of guitar making.”The research shows that African forest elephants are essential for dispersing ebony seeds and ensuring the growth of new trees. Areas where elephant populations have been decimated show almost no young ebony saplings, as Dr. Vincent Deblauwe explains: “The majority of ebony trees thriving today likely owe their existence to elephants that dispersed their seeds decades ago. In parts of the forest without elephants, there are practically no young saplings.” Seeds protected within elephant dung also have significantly higher survival rates against predators.The Ebony Project has exceeded expectations in its conservation efforts, planting over 40,000 ebony trees—far surpassing the original goal of 15,000—and 20,000 fruit trees to support local food security. The initiative has also secured additional funding from the Global Environmental Facility and the Franklinia Foundation, earning international recognition from National Geographic, Forbes, Reuters, and the BBC. Dr. Zac Tchoundjeu, a Cameroonian agroforestry expert, noted that planting both ebony and fruit trees addresses critical environmental and community needs simultaneously.The findings carry direct implications for the music industry. “Almost every guitar ever produced includes an ebony fingerboard,” Taylor said. “If guitar players want ebony fingerboards in the future, they need to support elephant conservation in the Congo Basin today.” Protecting elephants is not only a matter of animal welfare but a necessary step to maintain forest ecosystems and the sustainable supply of materials that have defined guitar craftsmanship for generations.Taylor Guitars continues to demonstrate how musical instrument manufacturers can integrate conservation into their supply chains, showing that protecting wildlife and supporting communities can go hand in hand with preserving the instruments that shape music worldwide.

Read the Science Advances Article HERE.The post Taylor Guitars Releases Study on Link Between African Forest Elephants and Guitars first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.