Blog Posts: wood

Cities are stuck with a lot of dead trees every year, which often go to waste. Reforestation hubs are a new model that can help cities find new uses from urban wood, which can save cities money, create new jobs, address long-term public health goals and mitigate climate change.

Baltimore is one of many cities coping with the problem of urban wood waste from damaged trees, construction lumber and yard trimmings. Salvaging that wood can cut landfill waste, create jobs, engage local communities and refill municipal coffers.

The smoke from one Nairobi school’s firewood use was so bad that two cooks quit. A new clean energy source burns cleaner without destroying forests.

Scientific advances in wood identification are improving chances of catching illegal loggers endangering the world’s most threatened rainforests.

Rosewoods and other exotic timbers have long been a staple for high-end guitars. With new U.S. and international rules regulating their use, guitar makers are figuring out how to adapt.

The best guitar necks are made of mahogany, and the most sustainable guitar companies are finding innovative ways to source the wood without destroying its stock.

Guitar fretboards are often made of ebony. With the prized tree now endangered, consumers must demand more sustainable sourcing.

Rosewood is prized for use in guitar fretboards, but widespread trafficking demands stricter attention to protection.

Many guitar makers use "figured" wood, desired for its wavy or rippled appearance. Bigleaf maple from the U.S. Pacific Northwest can act as a sustainable and beautiful source of figured wood.

Building an acoustic guitar traditionally requires several different woods, but in select cases, the guitar body can be made from just one wood. Hawaiian koa trees produce wood with the versatility to make single-wood guitars. They also have the potential to be harvested sustainably.