It’s safe to say, 10 years ago we would never have imagined Baldwin Hardwoods would be one of the first (and only) lumber producers in the country to have Genuine Mahogany in our Showroom. Our focus has primarily been on converting urban trees from northern Colorado into usable hardwoods. So what made us take a leap into milling imported exotic logs? Turns out, it fits right in with our story.

 

A former arborist, Baldwin Hardwood’s owner Ryan watched countless trees being removed from city neighborhoods and disposed of at the local landfill. His discomfort with the discarding of high-quality hardwood was the inspiration to start his own operation, one with a simple business model — reduce unnecessary waste by milling urban trees and create access to a product right from our own community.

 

Unlike commercial logging operations that harvest traditional forest-grown trees, urban lumber comes from trees being removed from residences, city parks, and urban areas being prepared for development. Often, they’ve died of natural reasons (age, insects, weather damage). The main difference is that urban lumber is never cut-to-order because of demand, which also means we tend to work with smaller quantities of less common hardwoods, like Mulberry or Catalpa.

 

 

“Every week, something new and different might show up at our lumberyard. We’re always on the search for unique wood, something you can’t find everywhere else.” — Ryan Baldwin, owner

So, when Michael and Carly Hester reached out to us last fall about partnering to mill some urban-sourced logs, it seemed in line with our philosophy — they were trees being removed selectively, without damaging the surrounding ecosystem or using heavy equipment, mainly from people’s backyards, and would have otherwise been burned or left to rot. The big difference was they were Mahogany trees from Saint Lucia, a small island in the Caribbean.

 

Michael and Carly own Elements Wood Imports, a boutique supplier of rare, tropical hardwoods. They work in partnership with C&C Industries (owned by Michael’s sister and brother-in-law) in Saint Lucia. A volcanic island with active vents, Saint Lucia is rugged and not easily accessible, leaving it ignored by larger timber exporters but ideal for small importers like the Hesters.

 

“When Michael told me what was happening with the Mahogany trees in Saint Lucia, I started seeing not only similarities to our business but also opportunities to do something incredible. It’s a shame to let old-growth hardwoods go to waste and there’s a real need in that small community to deal with these trees.” — Ryan

 

Nearly all Genuine Mahogany imported to the U.S. is grown on plantations in southeast Asia. In Saint Lucia, the trees grow on private land, surrounding homes and buildings and are considered an invasive species. Felled trees are viewed as “eyesores” to property owners who have no way of dealing with the leftover lumber.

 

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“By working with the local tree crews in Saint Lucia, Michael and Carly are helping residents find a sustainable way to manage the Mahogany trees and supporting their local economy.” — Ryan

 

It’s not a quick, or easy, process, however. It took nearly two-and-a-half years of working through regulations and permitting before the first shipment of Mahogany arrived at the home base of Elements Wood Imports in Boulder, Colorado, last August.