Stewardship has been a concern since humankind realized they had an impact on the plants and animals they harvested for food, clothing, homes, and even furniture. For example, in the oldest written poem that has ever been recovered, The Epic of Gilgamesh, there is a battle between Humbaba, a guardian of the cedar forest and Gilgamesh. When Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu murder the guardian, the pair cuts down the trees for the city of Uruk. While one of the gods is pleased, the other, Enlil, curses Gilgamesh. Themes of stewardship with trees have continued since from epics like Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien to children’s books like The Lorax by Dr. Suess.
So how does Fireside Lodge Furniture Company practice stewardship? Let’s explore how we do it across our collections:
Cedar Log
Naturally, white cedar trees are regenerated by natural seeding when a grove is partially harvested. We work closely with loggers who practice sustainable practices. After all, without cedar logs, we wouldn’t have our cedar log furniture. The cedar we harvest are located near our production facility on the southern edge of the North American boreal forest. This is a perfect place where cedar naturally grows without much effort near streams and drainageways. With our Cedar Log Collection our oldest collection, we have proven methods in place to keep it sustainable.
Hickory Log
Hickory is the densest native wood species in North America which makes it perfect for building sturdy and durable furniture. Our hickory is harvested in the American south and cut in the winter when the sap is not running. As saplings, they are grown perfectly straight from a coppice cut. Coppicing is the ancient practice of cutting down trees while they are dormant and allowed to regrow straight from the stumps and roots before being cut again. We work with loggers that honor sustainable practices to make our Hickory Log Collection something that brings us pride.
Barnwood
As we explore in our blog on sustainability, we use 100% authentic reclaimed oak barnwood in our Barnwood Collection. Instead of replicating the look like some of our competitors, we instead source our barnwood from 1800s tobacco barns that are deconstructed and repurposed into wood furniture. Even after these oak trees were harvested, milled, and incorporated into barns, we look after these amazing pieces of durable wood. Rather than being burned or tossed away in a landfill, we refine this beautiful wood and create pieces that can serve as heirlooms for decades to come.
Appalachian
Our Appalachian Collection is a combination of the best of barnwood and hickory. Aside from what was stated above, it reduces the amount of harvesting of other woods while providing the best the Appalachian region has to offer in barnwood and hickory.
WoodShop
Our WoodShop collection is made from pine, one of the most common wood types in furniture. It’s responsibly-sourced from Northern Minnesota near our production facility. With a fast-growing time and a short renewal period, pine is a sustainable wood that is easy to grow and harvest. For those reasons and the rustic qualities of pine, we are happy to use this wood for our WoodShop collection.
We keep the future in mind both in the business sense and our operational practices. Want to learn more or order? Contact us today.