Facts about the Industry |
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Massachusetts has strong environmental laws that control timber harvesting operations and ensure the practice of sustainable forestry. These laws include: The Forest Cutting Practices Act, which regulates every commercial timber harvest; - The Wetlands Protection Act, which regulates all commercial harvesting activities in or near wetlands; - The Rivers Protection Act, which regulates activities in riparian areas; - The Rare and Endangered Species Act, which protects the habitat of designated flora and fauna.
Four Important Trees in the Massachusetts Forest The early citizens of the United States used white pine for construction, cooperage, and shipbuilding. By the middle of the 1800;s most of the original pine had been cut. When the second growth of pine became mature in the early 1900's , it was cut extensively to provide wood for the boxes that shipped industrial products manufactured in New England to the rest of the country and the world. Eastern white pine grows throughout Massachusetts on a variety of soil types. It ranges from 80 to 100 feet in height and 2 to 3 feet in diameter when mature. White pine is a fast growing tree. The lumber of this tree is light in weight and moderately low in strength, with fairly uniform texture and straight grain. Most eastern pine is used for containers or packaging. High quality lumber is used for solid doors, furniture, millwork, shipbuilding, paneling, toys and novelties.  Red Maple- Early settlers in Massachusetts make ink and cinnamon-brown and black dyes from a red maple bark extract. Red maple was also used for firewood, potash, and lye that was used in the manufacturing of soap. Lumber sawn from red maple was used in interior casework for cabinetry. Red maple is the most common tree species in Massachusetts and in found across a wide range of sites, varying from wet lowlands to dry ridge tops. It is usually mixed with white pine and other hardwoods. Red maple is a medium-sized tree of 50 to 70 feet in height and one to two feet in diameter. It is one of the first trees to flower in the spring, long before its leaves appear. As days shorten in the autumn, chlorophyll production drops and other pigments present in the leaves dominate, making a spectacular display of brilliant scarlet red color. Red maple lumber is light colored wood that is moderately heavy, strong and stiff. Red maple is used for sports equipment, cabinets and furniture, musical instruments, wooden ware, crates, and pallets. This is a popular for lining streets and parks.  |
 Eastern Hemlock- Eastern hemlock was an important tree to the early settlers of Massachusetts. Bark was scraped from the trunk of the tree to extract tannin, which was used to prepare leather for curing. Hemlock was also used in the construction of homes during colonial times. It was not until the early part of the 20th century that use of eastern hemlock for framing lumber declined and was replaced by lumber from northwest and southeastern United States and Canada. Eastern hemlock is a medium sized tree 60 to 70 feet high and two to three feet in diameter. Hemlock seeds will sprout under heavy shade and sustain slow growth in these conditions for extended periods of time. This tree is found on many types of soil, and reaches best development in cool, moist situations. The lumber of eastern hemlock is coarse and uneven in texture, and moderate in weight and strength. Eastern hemlock lumber is mostly used for building construction and in the manufacture of boxes, pallets, and crates. Hemlock pulpwood is used in the manufacture of paper.  Red Oak- Because of its strength and straight grain, northern red oak has been highly valued throughout history. Red oak was used extensively at the turn of the century for furniture, pianos, interior trim and flooring. Red oak is a medium sized to large tree 60 to 80 feet high and two to three feet in diameter when mature. This tree generally occurs in mixtures with other oaks and other species, both hardwoods and conifers. Red oaks can grow on a wide range of soils and will grow very rapidly given enough sunlight and good soils. When the tree grows in the forest it produces a tall and straight trunk. Acorns from red oaks provide an important food source for many species of wildlife in Massachusetts. A vigorous oak forest is capable of producing over 500 pounds of acorns per acre per year in a good seed year. Northern red oak is the valuable hardwood species harvested in Massachusetts. The lumber of this tree is usually straight grained and very stiff. It is used in the manufacture of cabinets and furniture, boat building, mill work and flooring. Northern red oak makes exceptional firewood because it give off a lot of heat and because its straight grain makes it easy to split. Red oak is highly tolerant of pollution and poor soils, so it is an important street and park tree.  |
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