At Cornerstone Timberframes a few of us with Irish roots look forward to St. Patrick’s Day, and we’re happily joined by our friends and co-workers who are fond of green beer and the sound of tin pipes and bodhrans.
Us few turf cutters, also tend to think of what this time of year represents “back home”. This is when the first green shoots appear, tree buds swell, and Irish farmers are busy preparing their fields. It’s also well remembered that St. Paddy’s Day replaced a more ancient Celtic celebration of earth’s amazing power of rebirth, so was marked as a time of love and renewal of friendship.
In our line of work, with timber frames and mass timber, we also find that this time of year has us thinking green thoughts, especially about the health of the places we depend on for our livelihood.
The Green Challenge
In both Canada and the U.S., the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day coincides with foresters nervously checking snowpack depths, soil moisture and long-range forecasts. In many regions, but especially the west, the past decade has seen a rise of persistent drought conditions. The spring rains still appear, which helps spur plant growth, but this is often being followed by weeks and months of hot, dry, windy weather. The result is that wildfires in BC, Washington State, Oregon, and California are hotter, larger and faster spreading than at any time in recorded history. In BC, 2024 saw forest areas lost to wildfires at more than double the 20-year average.
Climate change is a major driver of drought and fire. And humans have unwittingly assisted. By suppressing wildfires for 90 years, we created whole regions where natural, healthy fire renewal has been prevented. With hot, dry summers, many of these over-dense, mature stands are rich fuel when fire finally arrives.
Keeping it Green: Sustainable Forestry Practices
In 2017 Cornerstone made a deliberate choice to promote the use of mass timber in more commercial and residential projects. Mass timber makes better use of forest resources, is a net drawdown of CO2, and goes hand in hand with better forest management practices.
The use of mass timber is more than just an eco-friendly choice; it strengthens local economies through the creation of well-paying jobs in manufacturing and forestry positions that are often vital to rural towns looking for economic hope. In celebrating the richness of nature at this time of year, we’re reminded that building with wood has a very real connection to both the health of our environment and the economic success of our communities.
Healthy Forests and a Green Future
Silviculture is the practice of studying, caring for, and maximizing the health of forests. In turn, forests are a major and integral part of our planet’s biosphere. And it’s not an exaggeration to say, that a functioning, healthy biosphere is the life-support system for all living things.
As we raise a glass to St. Paddy, and all things green and growing, we should also thank the foresters, whose silviculture work today in careful planting, thinning and harvesting will have real impact for decades ahead. Their work is daunting, but few jobs are as important or rewarding.
As we face challenges such as wildfires, drought conditions, and the impacts of climate change, the economic and environmental role for wood products is more important than ever.
This St. Patrick’s Day, take a moment and join us at Cornerstone Timberframes to give thanks for forests and those who work to make them more resilient. By managing our forests sustainably and utilizing the wealth they offer, we can work toward a greener, more sustainable future for all.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at Cornerstone Timberframes!
