Timeless Timber Gives Submerged Logs New Life
by on 05. 3.05
Mining old-growth timber from the Great Lakes? Are you kidding? Although at first blush it may sound decidedly un-treehugger, Timeless Timber conducts a fascinating and environmentally-sensitive enterprise. The eco-treepreneurs reclaim logs from the Great Lakes and create fine furniture, flooring and woodcrafts from the “mined” timber. During the 1800’s when most of the old growth timber was ripped from the North Woods, less efficient shipping methods meant that a lot of the timber was lost overboard, or sank in the many wrecks that occurred on the notoriously rough waters of Gitchi Gummi.
Far from being damaged by the years underwater, the logs are actually of increased quality due to the loss of resins that washed away over time. The density and overall quality of the wood is extremely high, and is derived from tree types (such as flamed red birch, hard maple, tidewater, beech, and white pine) that may no longer be available for logging.
Of course, in the ever-complex cycle of nature, one is likely to ask about the ecological consequences of removing what in affect have become “fixed” structures in the lake bottom environment. How does the extraction of the logs affect the benthic system and the plants, vertebrates and microorganisms that have grown accustomed to their new neighbors? Recognizing this challenge, Timeless Timbers developed an environmentally sound strategy for collecting the logs, and has even worked with the Forest Stewardship Council to achieve accreditation as an eco-sensitive wood product. [By Erin Oliver]
That's certainly cool, although I will note that it isn't ultimately sustainable, and it does continue to increase demand for old growth wood - I'm sure this is vastly more expensive than regular logging, so it's accessible to a small part of the market.
Couple of items. Reportedly Bill Gates had his mansion's woodwork done extensively with lumber from this firm.
By some estimates, upwards of 10% of all trees harvested up in UP MI and WI were lost to log jams, sunk in Peavee ponds during ice out season, or sunk in Lake Superior. The high quality of these woods is owed mainly to the circumstance that they were very slow grown, old growth trees with extremely dense annulus ring patterns, giving them greater density, strength, and rot resistance than trees grown on plantations or without light competition in general. This same circumstance is why buildings made right after settlement are still around with bare boards exposed to the elements. Put up an equivalent structure with untreated hemlock or pine and it will rot away in a few decades.
For awhile, I used to get catalogs from Robert Redfords mailorder outfit in which they advertised high end furnishing made from this lumber.
Have you seen the other way they go after these things? You know, with the CHAINSAW-WEILDING UNDERWATER ROBOT?
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4811
http://robots.engadget.com/entry/0657655908810643/
At least it's got a human controller...it knocks down the cool factor a bit, but keeps us all a little safer. = )
I want a chainsaw-wielding underwater robot!
John, I've seen the Gates mansion from the lake, and it's beautiful. I wouldn't be surprised if he used this firm, the place is all hardwoods.
Are you referring to the Sundance catalog?
Sorry, but I thought this site is to encourage eco-answers... Taking old timbers from a lake bottom destroys established fish habitats. I've seen it happen on the lake where we cottage...and what is it really about? The almighty dollar, of course! Big money that is charged for these timbers!