Mar
25
Timber operations used to be terribly wasteful and leave behind stripped tracts with debris and stumps sticking out that would not support much of anything. In some places, that kind of strip logging, or clear cutting, still happens. In most places in North America, at least, both the pressure from environmentalists and the economic contingencies make that much rarer these days. Sustainable harvesting of timber, which is done with minimal waste or damage to the ecosystem, is the most common practice today.
Good Millwork buys timber that has been sustainably harvested, is recycled, or both. We do not knowingly buy timber that is from clear cut, slash and burn outfits. In fact, one of our signature products, deadhead sinker cypress, is the ultimate in recycling. It was clear cut 150 years ago, then lost in rivers and canals until it was pulled out, dried out, and milled into beautiful lumber.
Country people say they use everything from the pig but the squeal. Sustainably harvested wood is the same way. Small diameter trees that need to be cut to give other trees room to grow are pulped for paper or chipped for mulch. The tree branches off of larger trees are used the same way. Big trees are cut into lumber. The sawdust created during this is sold for use in horse stalls and other such things. Nice logs are sliced into veneer in a process that looks a lot like peeling an apple. Chips and scraps are used to create MDF boards. Everything is used to avoid wasting wood or wasting money. This is a lot different than it used to be.
Do some logging outfits make poor use of the world’s resources? Of course they do. There will always be some bad apples in any group. As a whole, however, sustainable harvesting is the rule, not the exception. Even if a person doesn’t see the need for such care from an environmental standpoint, they see the need for it from an economic one.
At Good Millwork, we make sure our new lumber is sustainably harvested. Our recycled lumber keeps wood out of the landfill and in use. We live here too, and we never forget it. Call us today to discuss ordering wood that is responsibly obtained as well as beautiful.
