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If you’re considering building a redwood deck, you’re likely wondering: Is redwood sustainable? What about European redwood? Are redwoods good for the environment? Here’s an overview of the most important facts. Redwood uses 97% less energy than plastic. And, it’s more beautiful than other hardwoods, too! What’s more, it’s a renewable resource. Read on to find out!

Is Redwood Sustainable?
The simple answer for the “is redwood sustainable” question is: yes! If you want to make your home more sustainable, consider buying redwood furniture. These sustainable products come from responsibly managed forests. Not only do they look beautiful, but they can also help reduce carbon emissions. You can even burn your old redwood pieces to generate biomass energy. But how do you make sure your redwood furniture is sustainable? Read on for tips on how to make your redwood furniture more environmentally friendly. And remember: if it’s sustainable, you need to know how it was harvested.
First, make sure the wood you buy is locally grown. Redwood is known to be extremely stable. It shrinks only a little during the drying process and does not move much during the growing season. You should also buy green-form redwood, as it reduces the carbon emissions during the manufacturing process. Kiln-drying one m3 of redwood lumber can contribute as much as 33 kg CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere. To offset this, burn the wood waste instead. Burning the wood waste can also generate the electricity needed to run a kiln. This method results in a lower carbon footprint than all the other stages of the cradle-to-gate process combined.
Is European Redwood Sustainable
European redwood is a sustainable timber. Its open-cell structure and low moisture content make it ideal for treatment with a NORclad Brunnea wood preservative. This treatment helps prevent insect and fungi attacks and requires little maintenance. It is cheaper than other traditional cladding species such as Scots Pine. Treated redwood comes in a variety of grades to meet varying needs and preferences.
The carbon footprint associated with manufacturing redwood furniture is minimal because the wood waste is recycled or turned into biomass pellets, which offset the emissions associated with harvesting and processing. Wood waste is produced when logging forests and redwood logs are relatively soft. Hard maple and white oak logs have a hardness of about 1400 Janka units, but redwood logs are only 1350 LbF! This means that manufacturing furniture from redwood is less impactful than its tropical cousins.
Is Redwood a Renewable Resource?
Many consumers believe that redwood is a renewable resource. But what about the negative environmental impacts of harvesting the wood? Logging the redwood causes a decline in biodiversity, reducing tree genetic diversity and causing a gradual degradation of tree quality. Furthermore, harvesting the redwood causes disruptions in the habitat of native wildlife. Many species of fish and wildlife call these forests home, including Pacific giant salamanders and red-bellied newts. The northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet are also found in the forests.
In addition, sustainable redwood harvesting techniques preserve the forest, which protects the natural redwood species in California. Redwood trees are renewable resources, which means that they store carbon for hundreds of years. Harvesting sustainable redwood requires that the tree is grown in a managed forest. Sustainable harvesting programs must be in place to protect the wildlife and replace redwood trees with new ones. Redwood products are also renewable as they can be reused.
Are Redwoods Good For The Environment?
There are many reasons to grow Redwood trees, but perhaps the most important is their long lifespan. Redwood trees can grow to be hundreds or thousands of years old and are capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and climate conditions. Moreover, redwoods evolved in a specific climate along the coast of California, where the climate is cool and humid. They take up water directly from the fog. If this climate is deteriorating, redwood trees are unlikely to grow back in their original habitat.
The thriving trees need a massive amount of water to survive. Redwoods consume up to 600 quarts of water per day. However, they produce rain on their own during the dry season. For 15 to 45 percent of their water, redwoods capture coastal fog. Because of their unique branching and leaves, redwoods are capable of capturing the fog in which it grows. The trees also absorb oxygen from the air, so this natural process provides more oxygen than other forests.
Is Redwood Biodegradable?
The answer is a resounding “yes!” Redwood is a biodegradable material, which means it will return to the earth after it has decomposed. While composite decking materials go straight to landfills, redwood is completely biodegradable and will come back to the earth as more trees. Additionally, huge redwood trees are protected forever on more than 100,000 acres of parks and protected lands.
When choosing hardwood, the first consideration should be the sustainability of the tree. Tropical hardwoods are often harvested in developing countries in Central and South America, which harms the environment. Destructive harvesting practices are often to blame for the reduction in habitat and disappearance of rainforests. While tropical hardwoods are widely used, redwood is grown and harvested in the United States, where it is sourced following federal forestry regulations.

A sustainable living enthusiast. An environmentalist. In her spare time, she likes to deal with gardening and create content that will inform other enthusiasts about these subjects.