Getting Involved

Why you might like to be involved, and why we need your assistance:
The aim of this project is to promote the silviculture of valuable hardwoods in BC through the identification and propagation of figured wood varieties. Though figured wood is highly valued for its beauty and rarity, it has never been produced systematically for commercial purposes for two main reasons:

1. Attempts to identify the causative agents and consequently to propagate trees with figured wood have been largely unsuccessful in the past due to lack of appropriate technology and resources

2. Trees with figured wood are rare and often difficult to recognize (except in the case of conspicuous burls).

Since much of the research on figured wood was done in the earlier part of the twentieth century, new advances in science and technology have made it possible for us to succeed where others have failed. As well, due to its relatively inaccessible terrain, BC is currently host to a wide variety of figured wood species (to a far greater extent than in any other areas); as such, we believe that there is no time like the present to explore the genetic diversity of rare hardwoods in BC before it is gone and replaced with plantation-grown homogenous genotypes.

Our research group is intent on collaborating with any parties who may have a vested interest in the aforementioned potential outcomes of this project: Ministry of Forests (conservation and industry), Associations of Forest Professionals, forestry companies, decorative wood vendors and other interested individuals (artisans, woodworkers, etc.).

Through your voluntary contributions we hope to collect as many samples of figure-forming wood cambium as possible in order to obtain a broad genetic profile for attempting propagation of naturally occurring figured wood varieties. The scope of this project cannot be fully realized without your invaluable expertise and local knowledge!

What we’re looking for:

1. Preferably broadleaf trees (birch, aspen, poplar, beech, oak, maple) displaying various wood abnormalities such as swellings, burls, or undulations along the stem. Please send us photos of interesting trees you have found so that we can determine their suitability for our project, and please include the tree location for future reference. (click here to go to photo gallery for examples)

2. Assistance in identifying more inconspicuous figured wood from experienced individuals (i.e. bird’s eye maple)