The woods we use

[Matabele]

I'm deciding what woods I'd like for a new bow (going to be a Morrison    ) and decided to look on the IUCN website  http://www.iucnredlist.org/  to find out their conservation status....man oh man, Its so sad!!

Zebrawood is listed as Vulnerable, although the remaining population seems stable. Macassar Ebony is listed as rare, and it only comes from one place in Indonesia. Its is currently being heavily exploited. Cocobolo is also listed as vulnerable and in many areas has completely disapeared.   :mad:  I didnt get past looking at those I was so shocked, I didnt think these timbers were over-exploited at all.

Im not trying to preach to anyone and am certainly not judging anyone for choosing these woods in the past, or the future. But dont you guys think we should be more selective about what woods we use for our bows, after all we as the consumers are generating the demand? I realise they are used for many other industries like furniture etc, but we can still have an impact if we choose to avoid using these woods.

Just thought as trad archers and wanting to tread lightly on the land, you might not have been aware (like me) and find this interesting.

[lodestar]

This is a great observation, Never really gave it much thought but will in the future.

[KodiakBob]

CNCed aluminum, save a tree.

[Forester]

I would be willing to pay a few extra dollars if I could get bowyers to use FSC certified wood.  There are some suppliers out there and FSC domestic woods are even easier to get, whether that means osage in the U.S. or another species in Zim.

[horatio1226]

Whew! Thank God osage ain't on the list!

[horatio1226]

Or Hickory!  

[Wulomac]

Never gave scarce wood much thought.  Thanks for the info!

[Izzy]

Ive often wondered about the status of SouthAmerican and Central American woods.I know that this sounds hypocritical but Ill bet the land that these trees are harvested from are slated for agricultural clearcutting anyway so we may as well use the bibroduct before it becomes firewood.You do raise a very valid point though.

[Tree man]

Actions have consequences but I alway look somewhat askance at doom and gloom  stories regarding wood. Trees are a renewable resource.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

That is a great conservational thought....but i doubt very much the demand for exotic hardwoods are going to change much at all, even if you took all the bowyers out of the picture....They'd still harvest it and sell it somewhere else....Kirk

[tradtusker]

never concidered that before, i will now. thanks

[JBiorn]

Well, what have we for alternate woods that are abundant and still beautiful? Not only that but perform?

 It would do a heart good to see a lot more domestic wood being featured in bow-wood. How about juniper?

[philil]

Great thread Matabele    

I've been thinking about this too!

If I ever stop buying used bows, my first custom bow will be "all american" (osage, red elm, walnut)

I agree that this won't change a lot Kirkll, but if we as hunters who stand for sustainable use of land and game could get along without the use of "endangered" wood why shouldn't we?

Trees are a renewable ressource, but not if destruction of whole ecosystems goes along with  logging.

Sorry I'm studying forestry and this topic get me all the time  

Phil

[Tbilisi]

I have traveled to most of the places that the woods mentioned grow.  The forest are being slash burned to meet the needs of feeding the populations or investors.  Trees are renewable but only if the Governments create a practice of renewing and in third world countries this is not occuring.  Complete forest are being wiped out at a fast rate to make room.  Thanks for this posting.  How about walnut?  Bamboo is plentiful.

[Crooked Stic]

They make several flavors of Dymondwood.

[Shaun]

I have been using wood from my own or local farms, osage, walnut, ash, hickory, etc. And bamboo which is a grass and not the least bit endagered.

Don't think the amount used in bows is a very large piece of the pie, but every little bit helps. At least be aware that our actions and choices have some effect, but don't be afraid to use a half a board foot of something rare in a bow.  my 2 cents

[Kid]

Ask any honest organization that monitors exotic wood consumption, and they'll tell you that >95 percent of exotic hardwoods are harvested for firewood or cleared for farming. Very little is put into the lumber market.

On a parallel note, consider the elephant population in Africa. In areas where hunting is allowed, there are plenty, if not too many, elephants. Does hunting increase elephant numbers?

Nope, the lesson is, governments will protect commodities of value. We have large elk herds in America because we value them, and as a consequence, they are protected. The huge amoount of money raised from license revenues funds conservation efforts to preserve habitat, etc.

Make exotic hardwoods value-less by not buying them, and the indiginous peoples where the trees grow will clear them to plant crops or what have you to make money. Not that exploitation doesn't exist in this day and age, but when dealing with subsistence living people, the forest has to pay its own way to be sustained.

IMH ranting and raving

[Tbilisi]

Kid, some governments will protect it's commodities of value, not all.  In some cases the clearing of the forest to plant cash crops such as soy beans or cotton is being exploited.  In other words replacing one cash crop for another.  Some countries have sold the forest to foreign investors.  Unfortunately they are selling the whole tree and not manufacturing lumber so only a few in the country make money. Complete forest are disappearing at a fast rate whether it is from the local people or from investors.  Sad but true.

[Orion]

Great Northern has been building "green" bows for a long time now --  domestic woods like hickory, osage and oak as well as dymondwood (laminated birch).

[M60gunner]

I second the Dymondwood choice. I would like to see more choices in Dymondwood. I know the real wood is the most appealing to "tradational" archery but the woods like Dymonwood are heavier and tougher. I do not know why more Bowyers do not offer more composite woods.