Rare Woods - Three-Step Guide to Eliminating Uncommon Forest Species

 

The students and faculty of Rhode Island School of design have an excellent resource to work with: the Manning Rare Woods Collection, a body of timber containing boards of rare species, highly figured grain, or very large dimensions. Robert B. Manning and R. Bowling Barnes gave school the collection in 1974.


Just as there are many benefits to having such a collection, there are also many dangers to not having it, especially when it comes to the survival of the different species of rare woods around the world. Here are a few of these dangers.

 

Endanger the Livelihoods of Local Craftsmen

 

In the Atlas ranges of Morocco, restricted logging and replanting systems have been introduced for rare woods such as thuya and cedar, thus guaranteeing future supplies and the continued existence of woodworking skills in the area. Tetraclinis articulata, the thuya tree, a/k/a sandarac, or araar, is indigenous to Morocco and is cultivated only in the southern coastal forests close to the Atlantic ports of Agadir and Essaouira.

 

Create Ecological Imbalances

 

Too many logging companies are cutting down rare woods indiscriminately, without giving a thought to the delicate ecosystems they place in jeopardy. One of the methods of using less wood is to create a veneer, thin pieces of wood on plywood backing, which allow design possibilities unattainable with solid stock. You can purchase veneers of almost all of the rare woods in existence, and you will be doing your part to save a species.

 

Remain Ignorant About Rare Woods

 

One of the best ways to save a rare wood species is to learn about it. These woods are often desired because of their uncommonness, and they must be properly managed. For example, an ebony tree must be girdled for three years to reduce the moisture content before it can be cut. Thankfully, many rare wood dealers do not sell in high volumes, a boon to the species they harvest.