Ipe harvesting - sustainability

[Parnell]

I'm curious if anyone has insight into how Ipe is being harvested in South America and it's sustainability issues.  From what I've gathered Ipe is a broad category made up of different species of woods.  Is this right?  Does anyone know specifically what the species of wood's are in this class and how these woods grow in terms of time?  Where most harvesting takes place and what local measures may be in place for proper harvesting practices? 

What would be considered "old growth" for these trees - how much old growth is left in these areas...

This is just a topic I've been wondering about for awhile having worked with the stuff.  Hadn't read much about any of these issues.

Thanks.

Parnell

[JackCrafty]

Yeah, there are different species of ipe and it grows in a wide area across several countries.  I believe it grows slowly (like other hardwoods) and there is a limited amount of old growth.

There are some "farms" that are growing ipe but I haven't been keeping up with the news on these.  Most ipe is logged from wild forests and is shipped out as soon as it's cut... no drying needed like other woods.  The supply is good and the prices still reasonable but I imagine that ipe will become scarce in our lifetime and will not be grown commercially.

[beetlebailey1977]

Yeah I believe it is like most exotic hardwoods....meaning we are not helping the rain forest by buying and using.  I have heard it called brazilian walnut before.  Not sure if that is a proper term.

[mullet]

 In Central Brazil, north of Sao Paulo, where I work, it is against the law to cut Ipe. The trees they call Ipe in this area is the same as the big one in my front yard. That tree grew to 35' in 13 years.

[Parnell]

Yeah - brazilian walnut is the other term I've seen.  I wonder how many woods there are in the "Ipe" group.  Jackcrafty-I'm figuring your right about it's supplies dwindling down over the next decades.  A lot of people are making decks/docks out of the wood here in SW Florida.  It holds up incredibly well to the weather.  Anyone know any specific species in the grouping?

[Parnell]

35' in 13 years, Eddie?  That's not too slow, I suppose, compared to the cypress around here and how slowly it grows.  Eddie, is the land being cleared at a very high rate for agriculture/ranching where you were at?  Did you see any work being done to re-plant or is it going to development in that area?

[mullet]

 The land where I'm at has already been cleared a long time ago. It is ranches, sugar cane fields, soy beans and coffee.

[Justin Snyder]

From what I hear, much more is being cut and burned to clear the land than cut and milled into lumber. Certainly more than is used for bows.