In centuries past, reclaiming wood was as natural and commonplace as cutting trees. It was common sense: wood is one of the most durable and re-usable of all resources. As we entered the industrial age, western society was driven to set aside many of its self-sustaining practices in a never ending quest for new consumables. This attitude easily extended to wood.

As a country, we first “consumed” our old growth forests in the eastern and southeastern United States. For this reason, reclaiming wood first came back into practice in these areas some 30 years ago. On the other hand, the forests of the west were perceived as inexhaustible until just a few short years ago. Unwilling to heed the obvious warning signs, foresters, lumber corporations and consumers refused to believe that our great western forests had practical limits. Old growth redwood is a perfect example of how within the last few years our consumption has come to an end; no more old growth red wood trees exist (except in protected areas where the last few percent of these original forests are preserved).

Today, many aspects of our society are waking up to the fact that most of our natural resources are in danger due to overuse. In the building industry groups like the Forest Stewardship Council, the U.S. Green Building Council, and many others are making a dramatic departure from old ways of looking at construction resources. Wood use issues are often at the forefront of these conversations. With the growing environmental awareness in the construction industry and among consumers, reclaimed wood is poised to take a larger role than ever in the way we build.