Eastern White Pine

Eastern White Pine began the lumber industry in the United States. It grows best in the cooler northern latitudes, and its botanical range extends from eastern Maine west to Minnesota, and through the Appalachians as far south as Georgia. The early settlers utilized Eastern White Pine for everything from shipbuilding (the tall, straight, large diameter and fairly light weight trees were prized for ships masts), to houses, barns and bridges, to furniture, flooring, siding, boxes and everyday utility items. The lumber from these trees was very light but strong and the woodworking properties made it easy to shape, nail and finish, making it a very versatile wood. Building construction was the most outstanding use of Eastern White Pine. New England boasts many houses built over 350 years ago and are still in excellent condition.

The sustainability properties of Eastern White Pine offer a wide range of environmental benefits. It is naturally renewable in that it produces large quantities of seed in a good cone year or can be transplanted successfully. There is a high demand for local uses, which translates into lower transportation costs. It requires relatively low energy consumption to produce. There is no waste from its production process. Any residue left in the woods from the logging operation is biodegradable. The bark can be used as landscape mulch, the slabs and edgings are chipped for paper production or as a biofuel, and the sawdust and shavings are used as animal bedding. Eastern White Pine also has higher insulating properties than other alternative wood building products.

Eastern White Pine lumber adds warmth and character to any building project.