Most of my weekly columns are about wood— what we build with it or the tools we use when working with it.

A fun hike

About a month ago my wife and I went on a three-day hiking trip in Frontenac Provincial Park, just north of Kingston, Ontario. It’s a medium-sized park with a chain of lakes that are great for paddling and lots of hiking trails meandering through mostly deciduous forest. Some coniferous trees are sprinkled through the area, mostly along the shorelines of the lakes and rivers.

The weather turned out to be perfect for me, though a bit too warm for my wife. We’ve switched typical male / female temperature roles. I like the warmth of summer while she likes the cooler air of spring and fall. We both easily agreed that the lack of rain was a good thing. One nice thing about being in a forest on a warm day is that the forest canopy shades you and provides a pleasant buffer between you and the sun. The forest ensures the days are cooler, yet also retains a bit of warmth once the sun goes down.

My wife and I carried about 40 and 50 pounds, respectively, so we were working hard over the 10 kms or so we hiked each of the three days while travelling between the two campsites we reserved. Life is good outside. Eating food is more satisfying while being active outdoors. When you’re in a forest or at the edge of a lake, water does an even better job at quenching your thirst that it does back in the city. A short rest on a rock or grassy hill feels even more restorative than sitting on our couch at home. Life seems simpler when you’re in the forest.

Stop to smell the roses

While we never actually came across any roses, there were times when we would just stop walking and look up at the canopy as it swayed back and forth, submitting to the strength of the wind. Even the sounds the wind and trees made together were varied. The obvious light rustle as the wind blew through the leaves was the first sound we heard. But if we were in an area of the forest that had mostly softwoods, especially large white pine, it was more of a light whistle as the wind blew past all the tiny needles on the trees. Once in a while we’d hear a crack, as the wood that makes up the majority of the tree opens up a crack as it moves. A few times we heard a dead branch drop out of a tree, as it was blown out of the canopy by the wind and made a random noise as it fell to the ground. Even the noises coming from creatures in or on the tree were numerous. We heard lots of birds, squirrels and chipmunks on our trip, but also some termites, porcupines and a determined beaver making noise in (or chewing on) a tree.

More warmth

As the sun set, we collected firewood for an evening campfire, yet another thing we have the trees to thank for. We selected only dead wood so we wouldn’t hurt any living tree, not to mention the fact that dead, dry wood burns a lot better than wet, freshly cut wood. We had a nice pile before we knew it. Even some bark from a dead white birch branch or stump will help get things started. Enjoying a small fire after dinner while chatting about what we saw in the forest is a great way to end the day. Not surprisingly, even a shot or two of whiskey tastes better once it’s been carried 20 kms into the forest.

Thank the forest for your lumber

The next time you’re in the shop, make sure you think of the material you’re working with as a formerly alive and active part of a larger ecosystem. Use it in the most sustainable way possible and respect the fact that it takes a healthy forest many decades to raise a tree worthy of being turned into an attractive piece of furniture. Strong, time-honoured joinery, proper engineering and an appropriate finish will keep that piece of furniture alive for decades, if not centuries.