Here are some actions you can take to incorporate Good Wood into your work:
Landowner
- Ensure you have a comprehensive management plan in place that takes the many values of forest ecosystems, such as soil quality and wildlife habitat, into account
- Vet the firms you work with to make sure they’re ethical toward the forest ecosystem and to their employees.
- Consider growing more than one species for harvest, such as hardwoods like red alder, bigleaf maple, and Oregon white oak
- Leave some areas of the forest on your property intact as wildlife conservation areas
Forester
- Implement actions that support forest ecology above and beyond minimum required regulations, including leaving snags, distributing slash, larger riparian buffers, etc
- Integrate best practices for protecting soil and reducing erosion during and after operations
- Work with loggers to adhere to these ecologically-minded practices
Miller
- Ensure that your mill is able to process and track local or certified wood
- Source your wood supply locally when feasible
- Consider ways to engage with forest owners in your wood basket area
Woodworker/Carpenter
- Source wood that is ethically grown and harvested
- Sell your pieces with their origin story
- Use the right wood for the right purpose
- Help educate consumers about the importance of wood supply
Architect
- Investigate the source of your wood-based materials
- Make clients aware of local sourcing options; discuss the trade-offs in sustainability vs aesthetics (e.g., tight-knot vs CVG, juniper vs cedar)
- Default to the more sustainable option in the absence of a specific discussion with your client
- Use wood in ways that highlight its story
Homeowner
- Incorporate a good wood statement piece with a story in your home
- Ask for locally harvested or certified wood when making home improvements
- Educate yourself on the externalities associated with using different types of wood, including CVG wood and quarter-sawn oak
- Consider cost and impact with equal weight
