Theives cut and steal burl from giant Redwoods

[lordy]

I just heard about this on the news last night--almost 10 months after the fact. Some lowlife cut an 8x10foot burl from a big redwood in a national park. Unbelievable.

http://mckinleyvillepress.com/thief-steals-giant-burl-from-redwood-national-park/

It really makes you wonder what some people care about. Makes me sick.

 

[GrimLore]

Sad at best but as long as people are willing to pay huge dollars it will never end. Rain Forests and the manipulation continues to be the very same problem. I really am opposed to it all but the only way I see it is that a investors need to grow trees long term to satisfy the demand - not likely but possible.

Grimmy

 

[Paradox]

Stupid question: What is a "burl" and why would someone want to steal it?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Stupid question: What is a "burl" and why would someone want to steal it?

My guess...to make furniture or something like that. Check out google imagines...it's quite amazing to look at. Very beautiful look to the wood itself.

 

[GrimLore]

Stupid question: What is a "burl" and why would someone want to steal it?

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?14510-Gathering-stands-and-burls

Grimmy

 

[Paradox]

Well that is just wrong and sucks because the tree is probably dead.

 

[Poink88]

Stupid question: What is a "burl" and why would someone want to steal it?

Burls are almost like tumor growth on trees and there are many theories on what causes it but none is generally accepted yet. Growing a tree won't guarantee you will get burl and it takes decades or century to have a big one. It is almost like the equivalent of "ivory" from elephants.

It makes great furniture and veneer. Most older and even current luxury vehicles have it on their dash and other trimmings.

Makes great bonsai flat stands as Grimmy showed but woodworkers love it. I do.
https://www.google.com/search?q=bur...oHZeeyATI64KoAg&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=860

 

[Poink88]

Well that is just wrong and sucks because the tree is probably dead.

It indeed sucks but hopefully the tree will remain healthy. You see what we do to our trees, that one most likely will remain alive...future rot may weaken it though but I bet it will be treated properly now.

FYI, in Australia, they harvest burls regularly from live trees but it is controlled and done "properly". It is a big industry there since their woods produce some of the world's best.

 

[Paradox]

If youre cutting down the tree anyway or it can be done without weakening/killing the tree then I dont see a problem, but what they did to that tree seems to go beyond doing it correctly.

 

[Poink88]

If youre cutting down the tree anyway then I dont see a problem, but what they did to that tree was wrong.

I agree 100%..

 

[Dav4]

Stupid question: What is a "burl" and why would someone want to steal it?

Burls are irregular growths that appear on the side of tree trunks. They're highly sought after by wood workers because the grain can be very unusual and attractive. Most burls are much smaller then the one that was cut away from the tree...I can only guess that the stolen wood is worth thousands of dollars.

 

[Poink88]

Burls are irregular growths that appear on the side of tree trunks. They're highly sought after by wood workers because the grain can be very unusual and attractive. Most burls are much smaller then the one that was cut away from the tree...I can only guess that the stolen wood is worth thousands of dollars.

I once paid more than $300 for 5 pieces of 3/4" x 3/4" x 5" African Blackwood burl...that translates to more than $30,000 per cu foot. Of course African Blackwood burl is much rarer. Paid almost similar amount (unit cost wise) for several pieces of other rare burl.

The person selling it sold out in a few minutes too...buyers are on him like piranhas!!! (me included)

 

[Dav4]

I once paid more than $300 for 5 pieces of 3/4" x 3/4" x 5" African Blackwood burl...that translates to more than $30,000 per cu foot. Of course African Blackwood burl is much rarer. Paid almost similar amount (unit cost wise) for several pieces of other rare burl.

The person selling it sold out in a few minutes too...buyers are on him like piranhas!!! (me included)

I really love beautifully figured wood, too, and that's it in a nutshell. Wood is a commodity...and rare, highly sought after wood can be worth an insane amount of money...which is why the tools who did this risked a vacation in a federal prison to commit the crime.

 

[that-guy]

Burls also make beautiful guitars sad they took it from the tree like that though

 

[Smoke]

The big knob on the side of this redwood is the burl. My wife and I just went to the big trees last weekend. Those people are not photoshopped in there, thats how big these redwoods are. A burl that size is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

[Smoke]

As a stand builder I have burl slabs that I have sold over the years. Most of mine are from Western sources, like my kids property in Oregon.

Here are some redwood burls that are larger accent size slabs. These are all 1/4 inch thick and the one I'm holding is only 1/8 thick. Thinner the better. The thin one is the bottom slab in the second picture.

 

[Smoke]

This is a calimyrna fig burl. I cut this one about a mile from my house. There are orchards of this stuff around me living very close to Fig Garden.
This slab is about 18" x 14" x 1/2".

 

[Smoke]

This is by far one of the most beautiful burls out there. West Coast native myrtle wood. This stuff grows on my kids property in Oregon. I cut this is 2008. All are 1/4 thick.

These are some with finish on them. Three different colors and textures.

 

[Smoke]

These are some unfinished pieces I have not finished yet. Water bottle for size.

 

[Smoke]

Last one is a California Olive that I cut down for my neighbor. I would have cut more but I wore out a chain just cutting up the tree and getting this one slab. Too freaking hard.