Cedar
A tree native to mountainous regions from North America to Asia, cedar is known for its strong properties. There are many species of cedar but western red is commonly used for gardening purposes.
Pros
Cons
- Whilst native to areas outside of the UK, the species was introduced to Britain, planted in the UK for timber. British red cedar wood will be locally sourced and reduce emissions in terms of transport.
- Whilst some species of cedar are endanger, the western red cedar in Britain is not.
- The wood is durable and naturally resistant to fungi, due to natural preservatives.
- Cedar woods can be found FSC certified.
- The wood is usually reasonably priced.
- Imported red cedar tends to be more durable than locally sourced, but not by too much. Imports will also have more impact on the environment due to the amount they will travel.
- Cedar imported from non-certified sources and from abroad may have further environmental impacts, threatening habitats along with indigenous cultures.
Transport
Transportation will be a massive consideration when sourcing materials for a garden. Even sourced locally, materials will move and the transportation of good will most likely use fossil fuels which will emit CO2 into the atmosphere. The less distance a material travels over its lifetime, the less impact it will have on the environment. Exotic materials may look appealing, but the impact they could have on the planet may not be worth the appeal.
There are some things to consider when thinking about transportation. How was it transported, train, ship, truck or aircraft? Each use a different amount of fuel for the same amount travelled with ships and trains being more environmentally friendly than planes and trucks. (ref) Finding out how a material travelled can be hard, but if the data can be found, it can be useful to know for understanding the impact of transporting that material.
Another thing to considering is the fuel type used. Whilst it was most likely fossil fuels used to transport a good, there is progress to incorporate more sustainable energies. (ref)
