Wood Presentation

Different forms of wood

“Wood is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression. There are many factors that differenciate types of wood from one another. People have used wood for many different purposes: mainly fuel and construction (houses, tools, weapons, furniture, packaging, art, and paper) Wood can be catergorized in many different forms. Age, knot development, density, softwood or hardwood, coloration, strength, moisture/water content, origin of the wood, processing, and all of these different forms are considered when choosing what job is to be done with what specific wood.

Age

The age of the wood can sometimesbedetermined bythe number of growth rings found in the wood. The wood reacts to the seasonal patterns which effects the wood a great deal, but if by chance the season does not have a serious change in climate a growth ring will fail tobe recorded, which is why the determination of age by growth rings is sometimesinnaccurate.

Knots

A knot is animperfectionin apiece of woodit isahigh contrast section ofdensity which also contrasts the smoothness and “flow” of the wood. In the tree a knot is either the base of a side branch or a dormant bud.

Heartwood/Sapwood

Heartwood is the center of the wood, sometimes darker and distinct from the outer layer, called sapwood. Sapwood is the younger outermost wood

Hardwood and Softwood

Hardwoods- Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees. Hardwood trees are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen. hardwoods are not necessarily hard, and softwoods are not necessarily soft. The well-known balsa (a hardwood) is actually softer than any commercial softwood. Conversely, some softwoods (e.g. yew) are harder than many hardwoods.

Some Examples of Hardwood:

Balsa

Maple

Oak

Cherry

Mahogany

Teak

Birdseye Maple

Black Ironwood- Densest wood

Softwoods

The term softwood is used to describe wood from conifers. Softwood is the source of about 80% of the world's production of timber, with traditional centers of production being the Baltic region (including Scandinavia and Russia) and North America.

More examples of Softwood:

Fir

Cedar

Spruces

Pine

Heartwood and Sapwood

In species which show a distinct difference between heartwood and sapwood the natural color of heartwood is usually darker than that of the sapwood, This is produced by deposits in the heartwood of chemical substances, so that a dramatic color difference does not mean a dramatic difference in the mechanical properties of heartwood and sapwood, although there may be a dramatic chemical difference.

Tree Farming and Harvesting

Tree farms, known as tree nurseries are forests that are privately owned and managed for the production of timber. Tree farming is a productive way to help conserve and revive forests.

The American Tree Farming System was established because of the concerns that America’s private forests were being cut down at unsustainable rates without reforestation.All tree farms now must meet ATFS Standards, which take into consideration the wood, wildlife and recreation. When starting a tree nursery there are a number of things one must do not only to grow the crop itself but also to make sure the farm isn’t harming the environment.

First one must contact their state’s forest service. According to what type of land you own and where it is located they help you decide what kind of tree to grow and can connect the new tree farmer to the best places to get seedlings, people to landscape the area and other job needing to prepare the land. The state forest service can also help to write a management plan and certify the tree farm. Then you must file for a tax exemption for your property. One must have a complete measure of their owned property to establish property lines to anticipate the growth of trees and to for the obvious sake of legal matters and to avoid confusion when selling the product.

Preparing the land is a very important step in the tree farming business. From choosing the right equipment to hiring the loggers to clear the site are important decisions that will cause an impact on the entire growing process, therefore are taken very seriously.

Timber sales are often only made two or three times in their entire life. Takes 20 to 30 years growing a crop only to lose much of its value because of mistakes in the early process.

Planting is the next step, from seeding the soil to maintaining the soil by destroying weeds to make sure the trees get the right nutrients tree farming is very labor intensive. After the trees reach a mature state, they are ready to harvest. One must invest in the appropriate equipment chainsaws, wedges, axes, logging tapes and a lot more to supply your lumberers for harvesting. It is important to keep track of everything done through the harvesting stage for future reference.

The location of tree farms and nurseries vary. Like most plants, different types of trees grow best in certain types of places. In 1941, the first tree farm was designated in Washington State. California’s Tree Farm program is very prestigious and started in 1941 and has grown to include nearly 600 tree farms covering 3.5 million acres.

Bibliography

"About Tree Farming:What is Tree Farming?" American Tree Farm System. Web. 23 Jan. 2010. .

American Tree Farm System. Web. 25 Jan. 2010. .

"How to Start a Tree Farm | eHow.com." EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. .

"Starting a Tree Farm." Startup Business - Innovative Business Ideas - Profitable Business Opportunities. Web. 23 Jan. 2010. .

"Understanding Basic Types of Lumber | DoItYourself.com." DIY Home Improvement Information | DoItYourself.com. Web. 24 Jan. 2010. .