In our new series, we are in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada, with naturally:wood to explore all things mass timber! In this first episode, we learn about the lifecycle of timber – from seed, to seedling, to harvest, to production. Join us on our road trip across B.C. as we try to answer our first question – how is mass timber made?
What we cover in this episode:
• Background on Forestry in BC: We explore the province’s forest diversity – age, composition, structure and species, and learn about its natural forest management practices. We learn the difference between old-growth (over 250 years on the Coast, versus 140 years in the interior) and second-growth and that mass timber is typically made from smaller trees.
• Seeds: We visit the Tree Seed Centre – this is the starting point of the reforestation process, an investment in the next 100 years of forestry. Here, seeds are extracted from cones and stored at -20°C to simulate winter before they are sent to nurseries.
• Seedlings: We visit a managed community forest where we see tiny seedlings being grown for planting.
• Harvest: We visit a cutblock operated by the Squamish Nation. We learn how they use selective clear-cutting to maintain biodiversity and leave “reserve trees” to provide habitats for local fauna and natural regeneration.
• Design & Production: We visit the local mass timber specialists – Kalesnikoff – a hub for advanced manufacturing and Spearhead – design strategists and fabricators.
Learn more about the folks we visited
The Tree Seed Centre: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/managing-our-forest-resources/tree-seed/tree-seed-centre
PRT Harrop: https://prt.com/
Kalesnikoff: https://kalesnikoff.com/
Spearhead: https://spearhead.ca/
Nch’ḵay̓ Development Corporation: https://www.nchkay.com/
Links for further reading:
Understanding Mass Timber: https://www.naturallywood.com/design-and-construction/
mass-timber/
BC Forest Management: https://www.naturallywood.com/forest-management/
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