Sending the whole f&*ckin' forest?
When the first truck loads of sustainably sourced black locust arrived this month at a Texas job site, their onsite project manager couldn't help but ask, "I didn't know y'all were sending the whole f&*ckin' forest". In fact, WholeTrees is not sending entire forests to our job sites nation-wide but instead those trees marked for removal by prescribed management plans that improve forest ecologies and economies. That said, we understand why our rather-dramatic looking truckloads incite these reactions!
Processing and fabrication for this Texas zoo project has consumed much of our team's shop time over the last few weeks with our Wisconsin crews readying the first trellises for installation. In terms of linear feet of wood, this is one of the largest projects undertaken by WholeTrees to-date, with approximately 6,000 LF and counting. WholeTrees will partner with American Pole and Timber in Houston for storage and handling during the upcoming 2-4 installation trips, the first of which is shown here. The vast majority of product for this project is black locust removed from land near Lone Rock, Wisconsin in conjunction with Wisconsin DNR habitat restoration efforts there. Kudos to this client's leadership who advocated for the greenest possible materials in this decay-resistant exterior configuration of walkways and trellises.
Recent Successes with our Inventory Platform
From drafting board to digital BIM objects, WholeTrees partners with architects nationwide to bring the tree's innate gesture and dancing form to construction. We have enjoyed watching architects use our digital inventory to express their design vision in projects including the (above) National Gateway Potomac Yard with landscape architect Landworks-Studio and GC Paradigm Contractors. This project brings 14 branching trees stretching 21' high through a stunning courtyard.
Below, DLA Architects selected from our digital inventory a Burr Oak to capture their vision for the East Maine Learning Center (Des Plaines, IL).
WholeTrees on the Road
Profoundly moved last month by the Port Blakely “Carbon Forest,” a 10,000 acre Douglas Fir stand in Washington managed for long-rotation harvests to optimize the carbon sequestration of this forest by allowing 25 years of extra growth. Mike Warjone introduced our CEO to the differences in a 60 year old forest— differences in economy, ecology, aesthetics, rural culture, and public perception. Whole and Hewn Timber: the Original Mass Timber!
Our CEO took a day to meet the Sandy Ridge Trail System during this recent trip.
Biotech Licensing Professional at WARF
5 年It's great to see a Madison company focused on sustainability making a difference!