"Plant It Forward” and the Sustainability of Wood Veneer

Our homes are built with wood. Much of our furniture and many of our tools are as well. Life as we know it would not be possible without the generous bounty of the forests of our Earth.

That’s why we care deeply about the health of our forests, and why we have partnered with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to “Plant It Forward.”

Here’s what you should know about how your use of wood veneer from Oakwood Veneer is an investment in the future of forestry.

Why Is Wood Veneer the Most Economical Choice for Exotic or Rare Woods Like Walnut Burl?

For one thing, our very model is a much more economical model than those that rely on a solid hardwood supply.

To put it plainly, while wood veneer is real wood, cut from a solid log, a single log can produce a great quantity of veneer sheets, panels, and edgebanding.

This places less of a strain on exotic species, like teak, mahogany, and zebrawood, among countless others. When, for example, you use zebrawood veneer, you are consuming less material overall than if you had worked with solid zebrawood.

The same goes for domestic stocks that are in shorter supply. While oak and walnut do not face the same threats as some other trees around the world, some cuts - like oak burl and walnut burl - are in shorter supply.

One large oak or walnut burl can create a far greater quantity of burl veneer than a solid burl, stretching the supply further.

But that’s not the only reason to work with veneer, like oak burl or teak veneer sheets, over solid hardwood. Veneer is more affordable, easier to work with, and less likely to crack or warp than solid wood.

So you win coming and going.

Oakwood Veneer’s Involvement in Plant It Forward

Oakwood Veneer is not only committed to sustainability in the products it sells. We have taken active steps to get involved in the health of our forests by partnering with the National Forest Foundation to plant one tree in the United States for every order placed with us.

We call the program “Plant It Forward,” and it works like this:

• You shop: Make any purchase from us, whether it’s veneer sheets, panels or edgebanding.
• We calculate: At the end of every month, we tally up all orders we’ve had through the month and then send an equivalent donation to the National Forest Foundation.
• Plant: The National Forest Foundation plants one tree in one of our National Forests for each purchase made with us.
• The Earth thrives: The more you shop with us, the more we can help the Earth.

It’s that simple. Shop with Oakwood Veneer and help offset our impact on the Earth.

Why It Matters: How Reforestation Benefits Us All

Every year, we lose trees in our forests to deforestation, diseases, insects, fire, and other causes.

Actively replenishing trees lost in our forests helps offset this loss, and in the process, fights climate change by expanding the organic carbon sink, provides habitat for wildlife, and helps ensure access to water to people around the country.

The numbers speak for themselves. Forests in the United States alone offset between 10% and 20% of our carbon emissions. Reforestation here at home helps reduce our overall impact on global climate change.

In one year, a single mature tree can absorb as much as 10 pounds of air pollutants - or as much as what would be emitted by a gas-powered lawnmower, for instance. Trees are some of our best natural defenses against climate change, and a critical, renewable natural resource too.

The NFF plants native trees, too, to the benefit of our National Forests. The Forest Service operates several tree nurseries where native trees are grown from locally sourced seeds. These seedlings (which the Forest Service also strives to breed in disease-resistant strains) are the ones used in its reforestation efforts.

The Forestry Service is diligent, as well. Before even planting, they monitor conditions, planting only when they are optimal, and then they monitor the seedlings for several years to help ensure a higher survival rate.

The National Forest Foundation is also meticulous about reporting. After every planting season, they generate detailed reports on their planting projects, available to their partners. To date, the NFF has planted more than 17 million trees, and an interactive map, where you can see some of their projects, is available on their website.

Your Purchase of Wood Veneer Is an Investment in the Health of Our Forests

Your purchase of walnut burl veneer (or any wood veneer!) from us doesn’t just result in a beautiful end project for you. It also benefits the health of our national forests and by extension, the Earth and each one of us.

For more information on our Plant It Forward program and our partnership with the National Forest Foundation, please visit the previous link or contact us directly at 800-426-6018 or at Info@OakwoodVeneer.com.