Sustainably-harvested wood for our bows?

[Lucas K]

Wow great topic. I would like to see better access to Australian woods they have a similar science behind there timber management. There are several domestics that could be called exotic (Mesquite, Madrone, Ebanyo, Texas Persimmon, Bay Laurel, Mountain Mahogany to name a few) we as consumers should look into their use as a more sustainable practice.

Lucas

[cgeiser]

There are also a lot of non-natives here in NA that make beautiful bow woods. I have a Thunderstick Moab with eucalyptus laminations on the limbs. Ab least in the Bay Area there are a ton of eucalyptus that are actually reaching old age and will be dying and falling in droves over the next decade or two from what I hear. There are even lot of urban trees cut each year to reduce the risk of them falling on houses or that come down in storms. In Californias central valley there are a lot almond orchards and I believe almond could make a very pretty bow. Just some thoughts. If I had the time to try making my own bow I think I would give some of these woods a try.
Che

[Ragnarok Forge]

I am all for sustainable wood use, but you can throw out cocabolo, zebrawood, ebony, etc.... None of them are sustainably harvested.  South American forests are being destroyed at record rates.  If every American refused to use those woods the forest will still get destroyed. It would just mean all the other countries would get the wood for a bit cheaper prices.  

I agree that local woods are the best option and my next Wes Wallace is going to be all myrtlewood which is a west coast wood.

[HATCHCHASER]

I'm gonna have my next bow buit will woods from the mainland US.

[Clint B.]

Actually, I worry more about the sustainability of our sport rather than the bow woods we're using up.

[Jim Curlee]

Unbelieveable!

Jim

[KentuckyWolf]

Watch what you mean by sustainability....a tree farm is about as far from a functioning forest ecosystem as a corn field is a prairie.

[jhg]

Depends on the "tree farm"  but know what you mean by your comment. However...
 There are woodlots that are managed not only for timber production or whatever AND for habitat for wildlife, esthetic appeal for hikers and hunters etc.  Its not that hard to do when you understand what they need.
 On our woodlot we couldn't afford to let the land just sit there and didn't want to anyway. It was very satisfying to work the forest.
We chose to do it in a way that satisfyed a lot of criteria- like great hunting and a beautiful place to be. Also, there are more examples of habitat ruined by no management than those that are managed.
Lets not get the mindset because there are poor examples of timber management that we decide NO mangement is the solution.
Its isn't and never has been.
The more landholders understand what they can do to enhance their property and get some returns on the(investment) they will usually come around. Its really a question of ignorance. Many just don't know there are options.
I certainly think its a worthwhile converstation in terms of the bows we buy because we might learn some things that apply to larger issues or understand some more about wood management. I don't agree with the mindset that because bow making is such a small aspect of wood consumption that the discussion is not worthwhile.
I think we do have to understand its a pretty hard way to make a living for  bowyers already without mandating what woods they can offer.  Letting them know it is something we care about is a good approach IMO.


Joshua

[Forester]

I don't think anybody's intent is to chase down and admonish bowyers or even be critical of anyone in bowhunting using a wood product.  An individual bowyer's wood use, or an individual archer's wood use, is a little drop in the bucket.  The question has been posed in a positive manner to try and find any source of bows being created from wood positively identified as produced from sustainably managed forests.

The bucket gets filled somehow, drop by drop.  The option of "certified" wood products allows market access to small landowners and to operations that manage in a positive manner, domestically and internationally.  When people see me chasing down bowyers in order to give them extra money for such a bow, maybe a few more will offer that option.  Drop by drop....

Domestic vs. international is not the deciding factor in this question either.  There is a lot of mismanaged and un-managed forest in the U.S.  And there are quite a number of wood dealers that offer cocobolo, ebony, zebrawood, purpleheart, goncola, etc... from well managed forests that provide for conservation and economic development.

[Mint]

It is all subjective to what the individual person wants. If you look at Adirondack National Park you will see a forest to beuatiful trees but not a lot of deer, bear or moose. We don't let fire rejuvenate the forest so it becomes lessable to sustain wildlife. Take the Catskill mountains were people are allowed to harvest lumber and you are seeing a lot more game and wildlife. There is an area where I go that they planted pine trees in the 30's. That area was dead  and nothing was living in that part of the forest. They went in last year and harvested all the pines and within a couple of years the brush will help sustain a lot of wildlfe. I think arereal enemy is the population expanding at such a rapid pace and urban sprawl.

[trad_in_cali]

Het guys, Forester is right, if you read my initial question, I don't wish to put an obstacle in front of anyone, especially bowyers.
All I did was ask if anyone did it, as I would like to support them. Put my money where my mouth is.
Thanks, Marco

[cbCrow]

I have read this thread 3 times and would like to commend all of you for such an intelligent discussion of an issue that pertains to all. I believe that Trad is on to something and feel that maybe if we as archers would just ask the question about sustainable wood we could do this old planet a lot of good. Perhaps the bowyers would hear our voice and work with us to leave a legacy of good. Please go on with this thread!!      

[hunt it]

Does this mean we can't cut down any more Phenolic trees???  

[jhg]

I used old growth plastic once...