Over the past few years, we’ve been learning more about how connected trees are to one another. I’m a big fan of ‘The Daily’ podcast from the New York Times and was super excited to see this topic covered during one of their Sunday Reads. ‘The Social Life of Forests’ inspired me to write about Dr. Suzanne Simard for Women’s History Month.
Book cover Illustration by Vermont artist Kathleen Kolb. View additional artwork by Kathleen at http://www.kathleenkolb.com
Sustainable Forestry Exhibit Lights Up BMAC
The Brattleboro Museum and Art Center BMAC is currently hosting an innovative new exhibit, showcasing the beauty and value of Vermont’s sustainable working forest. Local painter, Kathleen Kolb shares her view of the Green Mountain state’s forest industry through various works of art she’s been creating over the past couple decades. Kathleen’s artwork is enhanced by poetry and prose contributed by Guilford artist, Verandah Porche. Verandah interviewed loggers, and their family members. The resulting stories are rich with emotion expressing the bond these Vermonters have with the forest.
BMAC Schedule of Events
The forestry exhibit started October 2, 2015 and it will run until January 3, 2016. This Thursday the museum (October 22, Thursday, 7 p.m) is hosting a panel discussion: Turning Local Wood Into Local Good. I will be joining other representatives of forestry-related businesses in Vermont to discuss the importance of sustainable forests products to Vermont’s economy. Please stop by and join us for a lively discussion!
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By Presidential proclamation, this week– October 20-26, 2013 is National Forest Products Week. It’s a time for us to recognize the beauty of our forests, the many products that come from our forests and the people who work in and manage our forests.
At Vermont Woods Studios, our company was founded on a mission of forest conservation. Through Vermont’s beautiful, eco-friendly wood furniture, we’re trying to help raise awareness about the importance of sustainable forestry. What’s so interesting or important about sustainable forestry? Check out some of these fun forest facts:
Each year the average American uses an amount of forest products equivalent to one HUGE tree (10 stories tall and 18 inches in diameter). That’s over 43 cubic feet of wood and 681 pounds of paper
More than 5,000 things are made from trees such as houses, furniture, utensils, fences, books, medicines, chewing gum, cosmetics, clothing, toothpaste, soap, varnish, Almond Joy candy bars and of course, maple syrup
The single oldest living thing on earth is a tree, its is 4,700 years old and is located in the US. It was growing when the Egyptians built the pyramids!
Forests occupy one third of the Earth’s land area– they are our greatest defense against global warming
As the Earth’s great air conditioners, trees rid the air of excess carbon dioxide and other pollutants to improve air quality
Trees filter water, trap particles to make soil and help regulate climate patterns around the world
Most forests are threatened by unsustainable forestry practices, development and climate change
Organized crime controls much of the world’s timber trade– illegal timber is the new heroin
An area of rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed every second of every minute of every day
In less than 100 years over half of the forest has been cut and burned, leaving whole areas of the earth bare and unprotected
54 of the world’s 193 countries have already lost >90% of their forests
With our mission of sustainable forestry we hope to persuade people to buy eco-friendly, Vermont made wood furniture and avoid the purchase of imported furniture that’s made from wood that’s illegally clear cut from the world’s rapidly disappearing rainforests.
Our friend Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturer’s Association VWMA is fond of the saying, “local wood = local good”. It captures Vermont’s passion for supporting small, local businesses that emphasize sustainable use of the working landscape: our forests and fields.
Consider for a minute, your impact on local economies when you buy American made furniture versus imported furniture (most furniture in America is imported from Asia). If, for example you buy Vermont made wood furniture, you are supporting the local land owner who grew the trees, the forester who manages the land for sustainability, the logger who falls the trees, the sawyer who slices and dices the wood, perhaps a wholesaler (and/or retailer) who inventory the wood, the furniture maker who builds your furniture and (unless you buy directly from the furniture maker) the retail store that sells you the new bedroom set. That’s why we say “local wood = local good”.
Here’s a typical Forest to Furniture scenario that happens routinely all over Vermont:
A local logging company or tree service harvests the trees.
Chuck Mayotte from Mayotte’s tree service in Guilford looks to find the highest and best use for the trees he removes. Sometimes trees will be used for firewood, but when Chuck comes across high quality logs or those with special character, he sells them to area furniture makers.
Local sawyers cut the lumber into planks or beams.
Vince Johnson is a local sawyer in Vernon with a portable sawmill that he drives to the woodlot at harvest time. He sawed black locust and norway spruce logs for us at Stonehurst, our new fine furniture gallery. They are currently being used to build a deck behind our showroom.
Kerber Mills is another local sawyer with a small mill in Guilford, VT. Clint Kerber milled the cherry and maple wood for our hardwood floors at the Stonehurst showroom.
Local furniture makers transform the wood into fine furniture.
So… what do you think? Does the story (and the benefit to local economies) behind local wood furniture add enough value to sway your buying decision? Or is imported furniture just too darned affordable to pass up? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!
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