Google image search results for ‘real cherry wood”. Half of these are NOT cherry wood. Many are illegal rainforest woods, brought to you by organized crime which has taken root in the global timber industry.
Cherry Wood: Will The Real Color Please Stand Up?
We have conversations with customers every day about the color of real cherry wood furniture. It’s no wonder! When I just googled “real cherry wood” well over 50 shades of red, brown and even yellow came up. Quite a variation, isn’t it? Truth be told, half of these images are NOT of cherry wood.
The Brighton Dining Set is shown in real, natural cherry wood. This photo was taken shortly after the set was made so the cherry is still a light color. Over time, it will darken to a rich reddish brown, similar to the color of mahogany.
When the big American furniture companies started off-shoring their furniture in the 1980s they found it cheaper to use rainforest woods than cherry. But consumers love cherry. So they stained rainforest woods and gave them various trade names containing “cherry”. For example Makore, an increasingly rare African wood being illegally logged in Sierra Leone and Gabon has been sold under the trade name Cherry Mahogany (though Makore is not closely related to either cherry or mahogany). Worse yet, it’s listed as an endangered species due to illegal logging and exploitation by organized crime which has taken root in the global timber industry.
Our Vermont Shaker Bedroom set shows how real cherry wood furniture “ripens” to a darker hue after about a month of exposure to moderate levels of sunlight.
Many times customers come to Vermont Woods Studios looking to buy real cherry wood furniture that matches existing cherry pieces in their homes. After discussions and emailing pictures back and forth they are shocked to find that their “cherry” furniture from Bassett, Ethan Allen or other big “American” companies is not cherry at all but rubberwood, poplar or engineered hardwood.
This rocker shows the range of colors for real, natural cherry wood. The chair’s darker than the cherry in the photos above because it’s older and has been exposed to more light. Notice too, that even within the one rocking chair, there are differences in cherry wood color that are created by grain patterns and grain direction.
At Vermont Woods Studios, our cherry furniture is indeed made out of real, solid North American Black Cherry wood. The color starts out as a light pink and slowly ripens to a rich reddish brown over time, as it’s exposed to light. Nina’s photo of the rocker above shows the range of natural cherry colors after the wood’s been exposed to light for a few months.
Are you interested to learn more? Find tons of information and photos of American made, real cherry wood furniture on our website & send us your questions on Facebook or in the comments section below.
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Protectors of the Amazon | EcoTourism opportunities at the Serere Reserve in Bolivia
Happy World Environment Day! As you know, Vermont Woods Studios is a wood furniture company, founded on the principles of forest conservation and we’re always trying to raise awareness about that cause.
Amazon Rainforest Conservation Project
Recently I traveled to the Bolivian Amazon to support the rainforest conservation work of environmental activist, Rosamaria Ruiz. Her work has been the subject of articles and videos in National Geographic and numerous other conservation magazines. It takes place in the Madidi National Park and at the Serere Reserve, the Most Biodiverse Protected Area on Earth. Here Rosamaria welcomes scientists, artists, writers, film makers, photographers, students and ecotourism lovers to help with her conservation initiatives.
Conservation Through EcoTourism & Volunteerism
Rosamaria funds her conservation work through ecotourism and also enlists the help of volunteers from all over the world. I wanted to share this with you in case you or someone you know might be interested in visiting or volunteering at Serere.
Serere is a unique biological gem! It’s relatively small 4000 hectare reserve is home to 7 species of monkeys, tapirs, sloths, jaguars, black caimans, many snake species (including anacondas), hundreds of bird species (including harpy eagles, macaws, herons, eagles, toucans, jabirus, and hoatzin) and a wide variety of fish.
Animals are congregating in Serere for the safety Rosamaria and her staff provide. Outside Serere’s borders this paradise is being eroded by illegal logging, gold mining, cattle ranching, sugar refineries, agriculture and the like. One of two things is bound to happen at Serere. Either it will disappear like the surrounding areas or it will be expanded due to the efforts of people like Rosamaria Ruiz and you and me.
Visit Serere and Experience the Rainforest!
I write to you on World Environment Day in hopes that you might share this message with anyone you know who might be looking for an ecotourism or volunteer opportunity in the rainforest. I believe Rosamaria would welcome the opportunity to speak with scientists, writers, photographers and other professionals interested in supporting her conservation work. If you have an interest, visit Rosamaria’s website Madidi-Travel.com to learn more! You can also feel free to contact me via Facebook | Vermont Furniture or email (peggy@VermontWoodsStudios.com) and read more about my trip to Serere are on my blog.
Thanks so much for reading this and for your support of our environmental mission at Vermont Woods Studios.
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A troop of about 50 of these yellow squirrel monkeys visited the Casa Grande at Serere on our second day there. For such small primates, they sure made a lot of noise as they come crashing through the canopy, leaping great distances between branches. They’re amazing to watch.
Serere Reserve: Most Bio Diverse Place on Earth
My son Riley was volunteering last month at the Serere Reserve, a rainforest conservation project in Bolivia’s Amazon Basin. Serere is part of the Madidi Mosaic, the largest and most bio-diverse protected area in the world. Kendall (my other son) and I joined Riley for a week and although our “mission” was to learn about rainforest conservation, I have to say the highlight of our trip was living with Serere’s monkeys.
The best part of volunteering at Serere? I think Riley might say it was getting to know the orphaned monkeys, tapirs and capybaras. Serere functions as a sanctuary for rescued wildlife, some of whose mothers have been shot and eaten by illegal loggers.
Monkeys Everywhere
Globally half of all primates face imminent extinction, as they face threats from loggers, hunters and smugglers. But Serere is different and here monkeys abound. That’s thanks to the efforts of owner/operator of Serere, legendary environmental activist Rosamaria Ruiz. Clearly, humans aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed her painstaking work in restoring the natural flora and fauna to the reserve. Monkeys are everywhere! During our short stay, we saw 5 different species of monkeys in the wild. We also had the privilege of getting to know the resident spider monkeys. After losing family members to illegal loggers these monkeys have found a safe sanctuary at Serere. The area is constantly patrolled to protect wildlife and habitat– an activity that volunteers and guests often participate in. It’s part of a “conservation through ecotourism” strategy.
Diego is the hospitality manager at Serere but his duties occasionally include giving a little TLC to orphaned spider monkeys. I’m guessing he never had to do that at the Club Med resorts he’s managed!
Serere’s Monkey Species
Here’s a run down on the types of monkeys we saw at Serere along with a few fun facts I learned on LiveScience:
Yellow squirrel monkeys (Saimiri) mate for life. We watched them grooming each other, intertwining their tails, holding hands, cuddling, and kissing.
Spider monkeys (Ateles) are named for their long tails and lengthy spidery limbs. They’re amazingly agile and can quickly walk on two legs across a tree branch.
Red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) When a troop of howler monkeys yell, they can be heard for up to three miles. We woke up to their calls every morning. Great alarm clock!
Capuchin monkeys (Cebus) use tools. They can smash nuts with rocks, insert branches into crevices to capture ants for food, and use large branches to club snakes.
Nocturnal Owl Monkeys (Aotus) spend most of their time foraging and sleeping in the high canopy, above ten meters. They sleep in tree holes or thickets of dense foliage which may be shared with other nocturnal animals like bats.
Students, have you ever thought of taking a gap year to volunteer in conservation-related work? Young professionals, maybe you’ve considered spending your vacation “voluntouring”? Families, are you looking to teach your children that they can change the world? Teachers & guidance counselors, do you have students interested in primates or rainforest conservation? Researchers and primatologists, are you studying one of the monkeys listed above?
If so, consider supporting, visiting and/or volunteering at Madidi Travel’s Serere Reserve. Here you’ll find a wonderful group of dedicated environmentalists using ecotourism to fund rainforest conservation. Volunteer and guest programs are tailored to meet your needs and interests. Check out the Madidi Travel website, follow Madidi on Facebook & Twitter and watch these videos about their work. Then contact Rosamaria Ruiz to join the many scientists, artists, photographers and film makers from all over the world, who have volunteered their time and talent to conserve the wonders of the Serere rainforest reserve.
Rosamaria Ruiz of Madidi Travel, owner and operator of the Serere rainforest reserve in the Bolivian Amazon basin.
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Our tour guide, Severo navigating the waters of the Beni River in the Bolivian Amazon. Severo is one of a team of dedicated environmentalists who protect and defend the Serere Reserve against illegal loggers and other predators. Rainforest conservation through eco tourism is their strategy & 100% of their profits go to conservation work and the local community.
Why Does the Amazon Need Protecting?
We talk a lot about rainforest conservation at Vermont Woods Studios and I’m sure many people wonder why we’re so fanatic about it. Part of the reason for our forest conservation mission is is my love of animals and wildlife. And part of it is that humanity is destroying a precious resource (that took billions of years to evolve) at a rate that surpasses any previous mass extinction. Consider that:
Forests have completely disappeared in 25 countries and another 29 countries have lost > 90% of their forest cover.
Madidi Travel: Protectors of the Amazon
We’ve written before about who’s responsible for destroying the rainforest. Today I wanted to tell you about people who are dedicating their lives to conserving the rainforest. Last week Kendall and I visited Riley, who was volunteering for them at Madidi Travel in the Serere Reserve in Bolivia. Ecotourism supporting conservation is Madidi’s strategy. They are a team led by the legendary environmental activist, Rosamaria Ruiz (featured in this National Geographic article).
Diego manages many aspects of hospitality at the Serere Reserve. I imagine this job is rather different from his previous experiences managing Club Med facilities! Here he and Monsieur Tapir are having a moment. Madidi Travel uses responsible ecotourism to fund rainforest conservation in the Bolivian Amazon. The Serere Reserve functions as a sanctuary for rescued wildlife, many of whose mothers have been shot and eaten by illegal loggers. Kendall, Riley and I had an amazing time getting to know the orphaned tapirs, monkeys, chonchos and capybaras.
After decades of conservation work in the Bolivian Amazon, which resulted in the creation of the Madidi National Park, Ms Ruiz purchased a 4000 hectacre reserve known as Serere. The land was severely damaged by illegal logging and other unauthorized exploitations but Ms Ruiz and her team have brought it back to life. It is now one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse places on the planet (as you can see in this Serere video).
Can Eco Tourism Help Save the Rainforest?
With much of the reforestation already in progress, the job of patrolling the rainforest and protecting it’s inhabitants now takes center stage at Serere. That’s where the strategy of ecotourism comes in. Guests can join local guides on daily hikes and canoe rides throughout the reserve. Thus the land is patrolled while visitors enjoy the amazing biodiversity of life in the forest (we saw 5 different species of monkeys in one day). Learn more about ecotourism supporting rainforest conservation on this Madidi Travel video.
Having lunch with Rosamaria Ruiz, Madidi Travel team members and volunteers. We were in Rurrenabaque, the launch point for Amazon rainforest ecotourism adventures. Now is the time to go, if you’re thinking of visiting the Amazon. The US dollar is currently very strong in Bolivia and the need for your support of ecotourism is urgent.
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The view of the Serere Reserve from Casa Grande, where we shared meals, plans and stories with the amazing people of Madidi Travel who are using eco tourism to fund conservation in the Bolivian Amazon.
The Rainforest & A Vermont Furniture Store
Where is the link? Well, in the time it takes to read this series of blogs, an area of the Amazon rainforest larger than 200 football fields will have been destroyed. Can you believe that? Much rainforest destruction is done illegally, to feed the US markets for furniture and flooring. Hmm… Vermont makes wood furniture. With our 200 year tradition of using local, sustainably harvested wood, we can provide an excellent alternative to illegal furniture imports. At Vermont Woods Studios our mission is to raise awareness about the rainforest and persuade consumers to avoid illegal wood products (made from rare tropical woods like mahogany, teak and ipe) in favor of sustainable furniture and flooring made from North American woods (like cherry, maple, oak and walnut).
Riley is on the left, taking a break from his volunteer work to explore the rainforest with me and Severo, our knowledgeable (and entertaining) guide.
Finding A Way To Help
At VWS we’ve supported rainforest conservation since Day 1. But quite honestly, donating our profits to reforestation NGOs (impressive and legitimate, as they are) operating 5000 miles away was not very satisfying. We wanted to be more closely involved. We wanted to see (and be a part of) the progress being made through our contributions.
My last post was about how my son Riley happened to end up volunteering for the legendary conservationist, Rosamaria Ruiz, of Madidi Travel in the Serere Reserve of the Bolivian Amazon Rainforest. Perfect! Kendall (my other son) and I went down to see Riley and offer to help Ms Ruiz with her efforts in reforestation and “conservation through eco tourism”.
This troop of Yellow Monkeys crashed through the rainforest right in front of the Casa Grande where we were eating lunch. They seemed as curious and unafraid of us as we were of them.
Many Faces of Rainforest Destruction
After flying over huge expanses of the Amazon and trekking through the Serere Reserve, I realized there are many different rainforest destruction problems and approaches to solving them. Some areas have simply been clear cut, the worst possible fate. But “luckily” the Serere Reserve was ravaged by illegal loggers who were just interested in large, high value trees. For example, I did not see a single mahogany tree other than the saplings planted by Madidi Travel. Cedar was also completely wiped out. The good news is that, otherwise the Serere Reserve is still intact, extraordinarily beautiful & teaming with wildlife.
The little spider monkey next to me is having a word with that 200 pound tapir nosing up to him. The two are rescues who’ve taken sanctuary at Madidi Travel’s Serere Rainforest Reserve. In many cases, rescued animals have lost their parents, flocks, herds or other companions to illegal loggers who shoot them for food or sell them as curiosities.
It’s an amazing place, filled with exotic birds, monkeys (we saw troops of howlers, yellow monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchins and a nocturnal monkey all in one day) fish and other wildlife. Serere is one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet– it’s a nature lover’s dream. Rosamaria says that wildlife is so abundant here because the animals feel safe.
Although illegal loggers cleaned out the huge, high value trees from Madidi Travel’s Serere Reserve, there are still plenty of massive 200 and 300+ year old trees that will amaze you.
Conservation Through Eco Tourism
Last week I learned there’s more to rainforest conservation than planting trees. In places where the rainforest is still standing, the goal is to protect what’s left and restore what’s been stolen. Illegal loggers are a constant threat so rigorous patrolling and enforcement are always required. That takes money. Rosamaria Ruiz is showing rainforest communities around the world how to raise that money through eco tourism. Devoted wildlife and nature lovers pay to experience the wonder of the rainforest, thus providing jobs for indigenous people to conserve and defend it.
If you love being up close and personal with nature, check out Madidi Travel and their eco tourism opportunities at the Serere Reserve. It’s the last little corner of the Garden of Eden. Get down there soon. The rainforest continues to disappear at an alarming rate. The clock is ticking.
On my way to the Bolivian Amazon, I’m holding the National Geographic article I read 15 years ago, about Rosamaria Ruiz and her rainforest conservation work in Madidi National Park. It influenced me to create Vermont Woods Studios. On the right, I’m in the Amazon, helping Ms Ruiz’s team members who are re-planting mahogany trees. It was a good feeling!
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Last post, I shared the mission behind our sustainable furniture company. It’s rainforest conservation and here are a few reasons why that’s important to me:
Although the earth’s rainforests cover less than 2% of it’s total surface area, they are home to 50 % of the Earth’s plants and animals
We are losing the rainforest at a rate of 1 acre every second!
About 100 rainforest species are going extinct every day
What nature has crafted over hundreds of millions of years is being destroyed with no thought as to the consequences
Much rainforest destruction is a result of clear cutting huge areas of land by organized crime
The timber is used to supply cheap furniture and flooring to companies like IKEA and Lumber Liquidators
The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest, storing 1/5 of the world’s fresh water and producing 20% of the planet’s oxygen
Vermont Woods Studios is my attempt to raise awareness about the plight of the rainforest and to offer sustainable, Vermont made furniture as an alternative to illegal imports. At VWS we share our passion with customers and support non-profits dedicated to rainforest conservation. We also plant a tree for every furniture order we take (through the Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees project).
Vermont Woods Studios is my attempt to raise awareness about the plight of the rainforest and to offer sustainable, Vermont made furniture (like this Cherry Moon dining table) as an alternative to illegal imports. We plant a tree for every furniture order we take work.
The Amazon is Disappearing: How Can We Help?
I’ve always wanted to visit the Amazon rainforest to understand what’s happening there and find a way for Vermont Woods Studios to help. But it’s a big place. At 2.72 million square miles, the Amazon Basin is roughly the size of the United States (minus Alaska). So where to start?
Serendipity Happens
A strange coincidence happened. Riley (my son) took some time off from college this year to backpack through South America. He called recently to say he’d be doing rainforest conservation work for a woman named Rosamaria Ruiz in the Bolivian Amazon. For some reason that name rang a bell. I pulled up Google and sure enough, Rosamaria is someone I read about in National Geographic 15 years ago (the article was written by Steve Kemper). Ruiz is an award-winning environmental activist who led a National Geographic team through parts of the Bolivian Amazon and brought about the creation of a protected national park called Madidi. Something else she had a hand in creating: Vermont Woods Studios! Her story and others like it planted the seed for our sustainable furniture company.
Madidi Travel and founder, Rosamaria Ruiz safeguard a protected area in the Bolivian Amazon with the greatest biodiversity in the world: the Madidi National Park. Riley is currently volunteering there and Kendall and I will join him next week.
Into The Amazon
So next week, Kendall (my other son) and I will be heading down to the Serere Reserve, an area of the Amazon rainforest conserved through the efforts of Rosamaria Ruiz. We’ll meet up with Riley where he’s volunteering in the Madidi National Park*. And we’ll ask Rosamaria and her team at Madidi-Travel what we can do at Vermont Woods Studios to support their efforts. I’ll keep you posted. If you’re interested to know more, check out these websites:
* Fun Fact: The continental United States and Canada are home to about 700 species of birds. Madidi National Park (with 1/10 of 1% as much area) contains an estimated 1,000 bird species
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I have a confession to make. I did not start Vermont Woods Studios because I had a deep, abiding love of handmade furniture. Mind you, I HAVE developed a sort of reverence for it over these past 10 years, but that wasn’t the driving force for me.
It was my passion for the rainforest that got this sustainable furniture company started.
I think it may have been Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey who initially drew me into environmental conservation in the 60s. Or maybe it was Mom, who had us kids outdoors all the time and kept a stack of National Geographic magazines handy for the rare moments we were in the house.
Anyway, for some reason, when I lost my job in 2005 I decided to quit the corporate world and get back to my youthful aspirations of doing something “green”. I had become convinced that our generation’s most important conservation priority was to preserve the world’s rapidly disappearing rainforests. I wanted to focus the rest of my working life helping people understand the tragedy of this loss and the fact that they could do something about it.
Ken had just finished building a woodworking shop on the back of our house. I thought maybe we could marry his woodworking background with my love of the rainforest to create a new kind of green business. After several attempts and stumbles we came up with Vermont Woods Studios: a website where Vermont furniture makers could market and sell furniture made from sustainably harvested wood.
The company would be a vehicle to help us persuade people to stop buying furniture and flooring made with illegally harvested rainforest wood.
Global rainforest destruction is happening now at a rate of 1 acre per second. 60 seconds per minute. 60 minutes per hour, 24/7/365. It’s the greatest extinction in the history of the earth. Once the rainforest is gone, it’s gone forever. Interested in conserving the rainforest and preserving the iconic species who’ve lived there for millions of years? Learn how your choices for furniture, flooring and other forest products can help.
Not That Easy Being Green
But soon reality hit and although I was always guided by conservation, I quickly learned that small businesses don’t have a lot of time or money for environmental projects. We did what we could… making support of environmental non-profits (like the World Wildlife Fund, the Rainforest Alliance, Vermont Center for EcoStudies and many others in our own community) a cornerstone of our business. We also work with The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees project to plant a tree for every furniture order we take. And a number of times we’ve traveled to the rainforests of Costa Rica and Panama where we did some volunteering.
In retrospect I can say that we have made progress on our mission.
But I feel like we’ve fallen short in getting the word out that how we build and furnish our homes has a huge impact on the future of our planet.
We have to figure out how to spotlight the difference consumers can make by choosing sustainably harvested wood flooring and furniture as opposed to that made from illegally harvested rainforest woods (think: Lumber Liquidators and Ikea).
A Trip to The Amazon
So I’m taking a trip to the Amazon rainforest.
It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the opportunity. Next post I’ll share how this trip came about and what I hope to accomplish. I am so grateful to our customers, employees and other allies who have supported our business throughout these 10 years, thus making such an endeavor possible.
Thank You!
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Buying new hardwood flooring? Ask if it’s made from legal sustainably harvested wood.
As a sustainable wood furniture company, we don’t usually have much to say about hardwood flooring. But recent news & events in this area are so compelling I thought our readers would be interested to hear a few details.
A report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals that Lumber Liquidators (America’s largest retailer of hardwood flooring) is under investigation by federal authorities for possible violations of the Lacey Act – a law banning the illegal harvest and trade of wood and timber products.
Hardwood Flooring and the Future of the Forest
Every year about 7.5 billion square feet of flooring is purchased in the USA (Freedonia). If it takes roughly 1 acre of forest to produce 500 sq ft of flooring (UN Report by TimberGreen) then by my calculations it would take about 15 million acres to produce 7.5 billion sq ft of flooring (the amount sold annually in the USA). By comparison, the state of Vermont is 5.9 million acres so each year an area of forest about 2.5 times the size of Vermont is logged to supply the American wood flooring industry. Granted, my calculation is mushy and imprecise but even so, it begs the question: where is all that hardwood flooring come from?
Where Does Your Hardwood Flooring Come From?
We always encourage people to buy American made wood furniture because we know that environmental, health, safety and quality standards are high here in The States. The same is true for American made wood flooring, but that integrity built into American made wood products makes them more expensive than imports. So, not surprisingly about half of the hardwood flooring in America is imported.
The Siberian Tiger’s Fate Rests with you, the consumer and global timber companies like Lumber Liquidators.
The Trouble with Imported Wood
The imported wood products industry is now controlled to a large extent by organized crime. A recent report Liquidating the Forests: Hardwood Flooring, Organized Crime, and the World’s Last Siberian Tigers reveals that “demand for hardwood flooring and furniture in the United States, European Union, Japan, and China is fueling corruption and making the world’s last temperate hardwood forests into a major epicenter for illegal logging… Organized criminal groups send out logging brigades to steal valuable hardwoods from protected areas” thus decimating the last remaining habitats for iconic species like the Siberian tiger (in fact all species of big cats are now critically endangered as are all species of big apes, such as gorillas, chimps and orangutans).
Consumers Will Ultimately Decide the Fate of the Forest
As consumers we need to ask ourselves whether we want to buy the cheapest wood products we can without regard to the legality or sustainability of their origins. Think about it. How could it be that hardwood flooring from the rainforest of South America or the Russian Far East is half the price of local hardwood flooring?
What You Can Do To Help
Maybe you’re not in the market for hardwood furniture or flooring but you still want to help protect the forest and it’s inhabitants. Help support the folks at Sierra Club as they support the Lacey Act which seeks to eliminate trafficking in illegal wood products and penalize those who import illegally harvested wood products and wildlife. Sign it today!
The 19th of August is International Orangutan Day, a day put aside to recognize the extreme dangers facing the palm oil industry’s most recognized victim. Once widespread throughout the forests of Asia, Orangutans are now found on just two islands, Sumatra and Borneo (Indonesia). On the brink of extinction, there are now only about 6,600 of them left in the wild. Orangutan’s are beautiful, intelligent creatures that share 97% of human DNA. They are complex, curious, and they need our help. We cannot let Orangutan’s become the first great ape species to go extinct in the wild, as experts suggest may happen if action is not taken now.
Why Orangutans are Endangered:
Habitat Loss- The loss of Orangutan habitat has been devastating, as Sumatra has lost more than HALF of it’s forests in the last 25 years. “The orangutans’ forest home is being felled and turned into oil palm plantations on a massive scale, logging continues even within national parks, and road networks divide the remaining forests into isolated fragments. Human-orangutan conflict is now frequent in farmlands, as orangutans raid crops in search of enough food for survival. The expansion of farmlands and the building of new roads opens up the forest, making it easier for hunters and poachers to capture orangutans and other protected wildlife.” (1) This factor is one of the driving forces behind our mission, as we work to provide a source for beautiful wood furniture that does not contribute to mass deforestation.
Illegal Trade- While Orangutan’s have been protected by law since 1931, the illegal trade of Orangutans has continued to decimate populations. They are often captured for use as an exotic pet or for entertainment purposes, as commonly seen in the circus.
What We Can Do To Help:
Avoid Palm Oil- Palm oil is causing mass deforestation of Orangutan habitats, leaving them with no place to live and raise their babies. As they search far distances for a new home, they have to look further and further apart often times ending up in palm oil fields. When this occurs they are unknowingly tresspassing, and palm oil farmers are legally able to kill them right on spot to protect their crops. Orangutans are left with little to no food or resources, and when deforestation from fires occur there are many slow moving Orangutans that are burned alive in the process. By Boycotting palm oil, you are doing a small part to keep these majestic creatures safe.
Boycott circuses that use Orangutans as entertainment, and write to your local government to keep these circuses from your community.
Write to your local legislators and The President. Ask them not to explore palm oil as a biofuel option.
Write your favorite companies that use palm oil and ask them to use sustainable sources for their ingredients
Support companies who do not use palm oil in their products or support the palm oil industry
As passionate environmental advocates, we are happy to help spread awareness about Orangutan’s today. If you’d like to learn more about World Orangutan Day, check out the #OrangutanDay hashtag on Twitter or Facebook!
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The woods that surround Stonehurst make it a hotspot for local wildlife, and a favorite part of the new location for many of us. From wild turkeys roaming openly in the field, to our new porcupine friend, to the neighborhood chipmunks, squirrels, and birds that call this place their home—we are excited to be a part of this wonderful eco-community.
Now that we are getting settled, it’s great to see that many of us are forming a bond with different parts of Stonehurst. You can find Kendall walking around out back enjoying the mountain fresh air, Neville and Martin outside enjoying the scenery, while Dennis is always the first to volunteer to checkup on the families of birds who have occupied the birdhouses we put up earlier in the year. Needless to say, we all care about it here for one reason or another, and that’s what makes this place so special.
Stone Wall on back side of Stonehurst
Stonehurst allows us to “tell the story of where your furniture comes from,” Peggy explains. “People can look out the windows and stroll around the grounds to see and experience what sustainable forestry is… we can use our learning wall to show people how their choice of furniture affects the habitats of endangered species.” For anyone who doesn’t know, Vermont Woods Studios was created with the inspiration to help put an end to the deforestation of the world’s rainforest’s. “Every species of big cat (lions, tigers, cheetahs, etc) and every species of primates (gorillas, chimps, orangutans, etc) is critically endangered due to habitat loss,” Peggy revealed, “and many of those habitats are forests that are being illegally decimated for timber that goes into imported furniture.”
Stonehurst, to us, is more than just our headquarters—it is a reflection of our impact on the natural landscape. We want to show people that by living consciously and shopping ethically, it is possible to live (and thrive) without harming the ecosystem, and that we can live harmoniously with our friends in nature, rather than endangering them by destroying their homes and habitats.
Besides the woods that surround Stonehurst, and the animals that inhabit them, the building itself has quite an interesting story. Stonehurst started out as a farmhouse circa 1800, and has “moved through various identities as a boarding house, 4 season resort, ski area, and residential home,” Peggy explains, “Stonehurst has been transformed several times, just as our business has transformed.” And despite all of the transformation, we’ve worked hard to preserve much of its history wherever possible. Plus, all local materials were used in its renovation, adding to its Vermont roots. “The resulting space feels like a natural home to us, said Peggy, “a place where we can enjoy our work while finding success in accomplishing our mission.”
The whole team gathered for our first group photo at Stonehurst
When asked about their vision of the future for Vermont Woods Studios at Stonehurst, the team had differing answers with a common theme… We would all like to see Stonehurst busy as ever, with a thriving community of happy customers raving about their furniture and excited to be brand advocates for us and for our mission. We envision “people coming from near and far to get an up close look (and feel) at the best handcrafted furniture made in Vermont,” as Martin revealed, while Dennis would like to see people coming to Vermont not only to visit Stonehurst and see our furniture, but to experience all of the culture and activities that the state has to offer as well. Peggy is hoping to see a relaxed and efficient staff, excited to learn new things and making creative strides every day… plus lots more automation and continued rapid growth. Stonehurst will bring the team closer, and allow us to work more effectively and creatively together… and will also give us more opportunities to have fun! (Liz is really looking forward to future taco parties). Most importantly, however, Peggy explains that we “want to see evidence that we are raising awareness about where your furniture comes from.”
The move to Stonehurst has been a major transformation for us, and we are excited to see what the future has in store. With a handful of wonderful memories already created here– from happy hours in front of the wood stove in Ken’s shop, to physically helping with the planning and construction of the building, to watching a lone porcupine roam our field… we have high hopes and expectations for our future here. Our sign is finally up out front, signalling the end of the “making of” portion of our Stonehurst story–a chapter we are happy to leave behind. Now, its really time to get to work!
PS. We’ve created a Pinterest board for Stonehurst! Pin us 🙂
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