While our impact on the global wood supply is small, we generally demand the highest quality. So, while containers, crates, pallets, skids, packaged firewood, and fuel logs utilize 7.5 percent, or almost 19 times as much wood as boats, they use low-quality wood that can, in the right situations, encourage good forest silvicultural practices. Sharp readers will now be asking: what about pulp and paper, as well as energy and the largest user, non-industrial fuelwood? If we included these, it would further reduce our percentage. Quantities of wood harvested globally for indigenous firewood used for cooking and heat are difficult to measure, but estimates are large.
Breaking down the “boats and ships” category, we discover that wooden boats are like a gnat on an elephant’s back. Most of the wood used in the marine industry ends up as brightwork on plastic or composite hulls. Teak, in particular, dolls-up fiberglass boats with veneer, trim, toerails, cockpit decking, and interior cabinetry—all with the purpose of creating a luxury aesthetic. The demand for teak on these hulls now eclipses the supply of even plantation sources. As a result, the industry is beginning to adopt synthetic “faux” teak, quite often made from recycled plastic or composite materials, for trim and decking on fiberglass boats.
This analysis doesn’t entirely let us off the hook, but it should help to put our wood use into a rational perspective. While wooden boat builders and owners agonize over their environmental impact on the world’s forests, fiberglass boat owners seem to be unaware of their even greater participation in forest plunder.
Uncommon Quality
An Estimate of Solid Wood Usage by Industry. The solid-wood category includes uses other than paper and other wood derivatives that been chemically pulped or otherwise processed. These statistics derive from Economy Insights Research and U.S. Forest Service reports.