Before diving deeper into an investigation of ecological systems surrounding the diverse range of wood materials available from foresters, sawmills, and home improvement stores, I want to clearly understand the history of the timber milling industry in the United States. This history sheds light on the industry's evolution and provides valuable insights into how we have arrived at the current state of mass timber construction. The following section will help everyone fully comprehend the significance of the materials at our disposal today.

Indigenous peoples resided in the US on the land we now occupy. These indigenous tribes possessed a deep-rooted familiarity and spiritual reverence around using the earth’s resources, including the wood from trees for construction materials. For instance, the Haudenosaunee constructed their extensive abodes, known as longhouses, from wooden beams and woven mats derived from rushes and reeds. Similarly, the Wabanaki, who inhabited the northeastern regions of the US, erected portable birchbark wigwams that were both resilient and lightweight, allowing for easy movement of their villages as they moved through different landscapes. These examples are a testament to the indigenous peoples' deep practical understanding and inherent spiritual connection with the environment.

The founders of Jamestown, in 1607, started the logging industry in the United States. These settlers had a demand for wood for constructing homes, facades, and essential infrastructure, as well as an aspiration to exploit America's lush and untainted forests for expansionist purposes. This event marked the dawn of a new phase in the country's chronicles, in which the logging sector would play a decisive role in the growth and evolution of the United States. From its nascent stages in the early seventeenth century, the logging industry underwent a journey of expansion and metamorphosis, adapting to an expanding country's ever-evolving needs and demands. The industry weathered wars, economic fluctuations, and technological innovations, becoming an inherent part of the American terrain and economy.

As the United States continued to expand, the logging industry grew with it, as demand for lumber increased. The industry moved westward as settlers pushed towards the frontier, following the country's growth and lust for more land. The logging industry played a crucial role in the evolution of cities, their buildings, and the development of infrastructure, especially the construction of the transcontinental railroad system that connected the country.

The forestry industry has a wrought history of mass deforestation without consideration for the health and biodiversity of the earth’s ecosystems. The reckless exploitation of the forests has left the world with a fundamentally changed landscape. And while there has been an uptick in sustainable foresting initiatives in the United States, deforestation has irreparably altered the virgin forests of the American landscape. This legacy of abuse is a stark reminder of the importance of reevaluating the human relationship with the environment.

It wasnt until 1994 that the United States officially acknowledged sustainable foresting practices via The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) of the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA.) The SFI is described as a comprehensive program of forestry and conservation practices designed to ensure that future generations of Americans have the same abundant forests that we enjoy today. The program outlines Five elements of sustainable forestry and twelve implementation guidelines that implement those elements. The following are the AF&PA’s SFI Forest Principles.

1. Meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations by practicing a land stewardship ethic, which integrates the reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air, and water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and aesthetics. 2. To use in its own forests, and promote among other forest landowners, sustainable forestry practices that are economically and environmentally responsible. 3. To protect forests from wildfire, pests, diseases, and other damaging agents in order to maintain and improve long-term forest health and productivity. 4. To manage its forests and lands of special significance, (e.g., biologically, geologically, or historically significant) in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities. (Examples include wetlands, Native American sites, oldgrowth stands, special ecosystems, etc.) 5. To continuously improve the practice of forest management and also to monitor, measure, and report the performance of AF&PA’s members in achieving their commitment to sustainable forestry.

Wood is an excellent building material for its tensile strength, aesthetic value, and various properties from various species. The need for wooden building materials necessitates incorporating state-of-the-art innovations and eco-friendly methodologies to fulfill this burgeoning demand. The lumbering sector has undergone a metamorphosis over its vast history, transitioning from the antique, manual lumber harvesting techniques of yesteryear to today's cutting-edge, environmentally-conscious wood products. This progression has led to heightened recognition of the interplay between our built environment and the earth's ecology.

Despite the inherent challenges in accurately quantifying the utilization of wood in construction, the 21st century has witnessed a new understanding that timber as a building material is inherently sustainable and is a large store of carbon if produced and treated responsibly throughout its lifecycle. This has led to an increased demand which, compounded by the current global pandemic, has exerted immense pressure on the delicate balance of the wood supply chain. Disruptions in the normal flow of goods have led to congested pathways and spiraling prices of timber products. The increasing globalization of the economy and the exponential growth of human populations only exacerbates the timber industry's need to promote sustainable foresting, building, and recycling methods. Thus, it becomes imperative to comprehend the intricate economics of the wood sector and embrace sustainable forestry practices to ensure its continued viability.

As I progress from the rich historical tapestry of humankind's utilization of wood as a building material, I want to delve into the cutting-edge realm of contemporary wood products, practices, and economics. In this contemporary age, where the demands for more eco-friendly and sustainable building materials are higher than ever, we must scrutinize the viability and longevity of these products and assess how they fit into the larger picture of a sustainable future. With a heightened sense of urgency and curiosity, we venture into this exciting terrain of modern wooden construction. While I wont be able to fully represent the complexity of this issue here, the next section will review literature to gain a better understanding of the cutting edge of wood products, their use in construction, the economy surrounding them and finally how these issues are enmeshed in a complex ecological system of our world.