The Environment

Deforestation

Deforestation has far-reaching environmental and economic consequences. According to Larry West, an investigative environmental journalist, deforestation is a global issue that we can join hands to resolve. West’s investigative reporting team was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and received the Meeman Award for national environmental reporting from the Scripps Howard Foundation.

He defines deforestation as  "the loss or destruction of naturally occurring forests, primarily due to human activities such as logging, cutting trees for fuel, slash-and-burn agriculture, clearing land for livestock grazing, mining operations, oil extraction, dam building, and urban sprawl or other types of development and population expansion".

Several agencies, reporting on the environment, increase concerns about deforestation. On a global level, each year about 75,000 square miles of forest is cleared in order to accommodate for short-term human interests, without regard to consequences to future generations. The Nature Conservancy reports that logging alone accounts for the loss of more than 32 million acres of the world’s natural forests every year. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports a permanent loss of approximately 7.3 million hectares of forests every year.

These facts pose some burning questions for us all. How do we finally respond with intelligence and creativity to this immense crisis? How do we engage the use of this precious resource without depleting it for our children? How do we participate as committed, responsible stewards of the forests?

The planet is inviting us to participate, one human being at a time, one business at a time, one community at a time, by making wise decisions about lifestyle choices.

Leaving the smallest environmental footprint on this planet is a wise, compassionate choice.

Benefits of using River-Reclaimed Logs

The term river-reclaimed evokes appreciation of another time and life-style, one that was more congruent with an organic relationship with the earth and its inhabitants. As we ponder our current environmental crisis, this product from another time and sensibility, now lying preserved at the bottom of our lakes and rivers, is rising to the surface again.

Reclamation of these ancient logs curtails deforestation, recycles precious materials, and completes an amazing, several hundred years’ journey, making them a number one choice for restoration projects and environmentally conscious friendly enterprises.

Recycling a lost treasure from the 19th and early 20th century logging boom generates wood that is virgin growth - clear of nail holes and exquisite in appearance.

Preserved by deep, cold water, and a lack of oxygen and light, these logs are a marriage of water, wood, and minerals, creating their  "one of a kind" calling card. The virgin timber has highly dense growth rings, which increase stability and durability. Unlike new cut timber, which tends to be consistent in color, river-reclaimed logs have a unique color range and variety of characteristics, making this old growth lumber attractive to architects, designers, craftsmen, and their clients who desire an exclusive product with an extraordinary story.

Bibliography

Larry West, "What is Deforestation", About.com Guide