Award Winning Chairbler Calls for Better Management of Wood From Felled Trees
They’re the lungs of our environment, provide a leafy canopy and sequester carbon helping to mitigate climate change. Trees.
As we approach Arbor Day on June 5th, Christchurch wood artisan, David Laird, says Canterbury is ideally placed to join environmentally conscious cities across the world in how they manage trees at the end of their life.
“Cities across the country lose hundreds of trees every year - Elm, Ash, Plane trees, Walnuts, Red Cedars to name a few. Most of that wood is mulched, some is used as firewood. I believe we are missing an opportunity to re-use this urban timber in our communities. There’s a significant economic, environmental and aesthetic value in those timbers,” says David.
There are some, not too far from us, who are embracing the opportunities.
Across the Tasman, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has committed to a targeted action to “develop an urban wood reuse plan for trees removed from public land.” This is described as “the reuse of urban forest material (by-product) at end of life (which) has the potential to transform what is currently a ‘waste stream’ for the Territory into a ‘value stream’. See ACT Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2030
In the ACT Plan, higher value salvaged wood can be processed into sawn timber for use by local schools, community organisations, and businesses, while low value urban wood is processed into new products such as soil and compost, soft fall mulch, bio-char and wood pellets.
David Laird is working with the Waimakariri District Council, and a trial is about to start there.
“I have been talking to them for a few months now. I am funding the trial myself. We are using local vehicles, mill and workers to look at how we can do what others are already doing so successfully overseas,” he says.
Turning trees into mulch means releasing carbon to the atmosphere as the mulch breaks down. It’s also a waste of high-quality timbers such as oak, ash, elm and cedar, which, ironically, New Zealand imports.
“When made into furniture or building elements, for example, the tree is transformed. The carbon stays bound in the wood, and we have something both functional and beautiful. We can keep milling locally, foster woodworking skills, and use local wood instead of wood from overseas; this really could be a gamechanger,” he says.
-ENDS-
Please contact Ali Jones (Red PR) on 027 247 3112 for more information. David is available for interview.
Also Urban Tree Recovery - Revival | Sustainable Building & Construction Melbourne
Robbie Neville is a Kiwi who recently returned to Christchurch from Australia. He has spearheaded urban tree recovery, as well as working with reclaimed timber, in Melbourne. Robbie is also available for interview. rob@revivalprojects.com.au
Additional:
In Christchurch City-
60 trees have very recently been removed from South Hagley Park.
There have been approximately 262 street trees removed since Oct 1 2024 (up to May 2025) in Christchurch.
From mid-April 2025, over the two months prior, there were 27 park/green space tree removals; over the previous six months there were 76 tree removals.
These trees are Ash, Beech, Alder, Elm, Sweet Chestnut, Oak, Pine, Birch, Poplar, Maple, Lime, Sycamore, Horse Chestnut, Rowan, Red Cedar.
Many are ‘heritage’ trees, more than 50 years old.
There is no income derived from street or park trees in Christchurch.
A significant number of these trees contain “high value” timber.
Around 9 slabs can be milled from an average, 80-100 year old tree (butt logs). Each slab can be valued at around $200 each. That’s $1800 a tree.
The recent removal of 23 trees in the Shirley area of Christchurch will cost/has cost the council $200,000
Each tree takes around 3.2kgs of carbon out of the atmosphere, holding 1kg of carbon in the wood – the rest is returned to the atmosphere as oxygen.
On average, 1/3 of a mature tree is millable; the rest can be used as firewood and/or mulch.
Kowhai is the equivalent of Teak, which holds the most carbon.
The idea of an Urban Timber plan, has been embraced in many places around the world. Most recently in Australia - Home - Urban Timber Rescue
David Laird combines traditional techniques for milling, seasoning and steam bending timber with some modern methods which are environmentally sustainable and friendly processes.
“The Elm, Ash and Oak I source date back to early plantings by New Zealand settlers. It is a privilege to work with timber planted by earlier generations who knew they would not see the timber mature.” David Laird
References:
https://www.woodreview.com.au/news/david-laird-the-one-tree-exhibitionhttps://www.davidlairdchairbler.co.nz/
The one fallen tree that made an exhibition | The Press
Full life cycle of Hagley Park timber : Newsline
The chair maker saving trees from the mulcher | The Press
David Laird: The One Tree Exhibition - Australian Wood Review
When a tree dies, don’t waste your breath. Rescue the wood to honour its memory