Wood and Timber in Construction

Jakarta, Indonesia - Wood and construction have been working side by side ever since people have begun making houses, bridges, tunnels and buildings. Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production. Lumber is supplied either rough or finished. Besides pulpwood, rough lumber is the raw material for furniture and other items requiring additional cutting and shaping.

Forestry is the art and science of tree resources, including plantations and natural stands. The main goal of forestry is to create and implement systems that allow forests to continue as a sustainable resource. The challenge of forestry is to create systems that are socially accepted while sustaining the resource and any other resources that might be affected.

Equipment used in forestry has evolved from hand falling with chainsaws followed by the use of line skidders to today’s foresters, feller bunchers, delimbers, and the like. Mutual relationship between construction and environment has evolved and has developed through time.

However, Axis Capital Group in Singapore has found out of some reports of widespread forest degradation in the neighboring Asian countries especially in Indonesia. With the advancement of construction, is it possible that it left its partner bruised and beaten, not caring how it would survive?

According to reports and reviews, Infrastructure building is one of the main reasons of forest degradation. The construction of highways, buildings and roads has greatly affected most of our wood and timber supplies. Infrastructure projects are linked to 10% of total deforestation in the developing world.

Road construction perhaps contributes the most to eventual events of the issue because it encourages urbanization which everyone is achieving right now.

Another reason of degradation is the continuing growth of mining industry which threatens forest trees and natural habitats since people would need to dig holes to the ground. For instance, a giant opencast gold mine dominates the landscape in Indonesia's rain forested Papua province.

Logging for timber is also one cause. According to the reports, In Brazil and Indonesia, some 80% to 90% of timber extraction is deemed illegal. These fraud loggers have been in operations in decades, but alas, they were never caught.

Soaring global demand for palm oil as a cheap raw material for products ranging from cooking oil, margarine, cereals, and baked goods to soaps and cosmetics has led to Indonesia having some of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Plantations have been financed by the sale of timber from cleared forests.

Is there still a chance to save our Mother Nature from these unfortunate events?

Construction companies, like Axis Capital Group - albeit ironically- are partnering with infrastructure companies in restoring the balanced relationship between construction and forestry. By developing projects and cooperating nature within it, we can achieve what we once have; harmony between the planet and the growth of modernization.