Ipe: "King of Woods" or Tyrant of the Amazon?
When it comes to modern landscape design, ipe (pronounced “ee-pay”) is quickly becoming a household name. With its natural resistance to common issues such as rot, mold, and insect damage, it’s a go-to material for decking, flooring, siding, and outdoor furniture. But for those of us in the industry who are concerned not only with the beauty and reliability of the materials we use but also their impact on the world, ipe may not appear to be as angelic as one would hope. As with many issues, a quick internet search can leave one’s head spinning with facts in support and opposition. At the very least, the sourcing of ipe and other tropical hardwoods comes with some definite issues to consider. As a company that strives to enhance our local and global habitat, we find it a big priority to research the ethical and biological implications of the products we use.
What is Ipe?
Ipe, also known as Brazilian walnut or lapacho, is a resilient wood high in density that comes from Central and South American forests. Mature trees are harvested after they have died. Due to the high levels of humidity ipe endures in its lifetime, it is an ideal choice for outdoor use as it weathers beautifully. In fact, it is commonly used for large beach boardwalks including Coney Island, where it has lasted a staggering 25 years before needing to be replaced. This should come as no surprise since, according to The Wall Street Journal, it rivals steel and concrete in its fire rating and its density prevents it from floating. While ipe certainly requires a high level of skill on the part of the craftsman, it continues to prove itself as an excellent choice for those desiring durability.
Ipe wood boardwalk on Coney Island, New York.
So What’s the Catch?
Why not utilize this “King of Woods” for outdoor projects from decking to furniture? It turns out there are several reasons why some environmentally conscious designers have misgivings about the use of ipe. The purpose of this post is to present some of those concerns followed by a counter-argument for the continued use of this hardwood.
THE CASE AGAINST IPE
According to TerraMai, a resource for reclaimed woods, the biggest concern with ipe is an issue of certainty about sourcing. Supposedly ipe is rare and grows in low densities, with mature trees occurring only every 300,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. When harvesting those trees, it’s more convenient to clear any other trees in the surrounding area in order to reach them. Clearly, this practice causes unnecessary deforestation and waste, since the cleared trees often have no economic value and are disposed of. As we’ve seen in the news of the Amazonian forest fire crisis recently, deforestation is a world-wide concern that cannot be ignored.
In order to counteract this unsustainable practice, countries producing ipe have passed laws to ensure environmentally friendly logging practices and appointed agencies in order to enforce them. But some argue that illegal logging is still very common with ipe and there have been instances of corruption and misinformation about wood supposedly certified to be sustainable. TerraMai cites an instance in which ipe that was supposed to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council for a boardwalk in Ocean City was later found to be sourced by a Peruvian company well known for illegal logging. According to The Guardian publication in 2014, a large percentage of Brazil’s exported wood is also illegal.
Due to these instances of corruption, some designers and architects have chosen to walk away from the use of ipe in their projects altogether. But is their decision to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” an overreaction? Those on the opposing side would say “yes”.
THE CASE AGAINST THE CASE AGAINST IPE
Despite the strong opposition of some industry professionals to the use of ipe, there are many who still argue that ipe can be used ethically in design and construction. They argue that the use of ipe is not only permissible from an ethical and environmental standpoint, but can be beneficial. According to Brazilian Wood Depot, a tropical hardwood organization, the dark picture that is sometimes painted of ipe is “misleading” and actually “endangers our native tropical forests.”
First, an obvious environmental advantage of ipe and other tropical hardwoods is that they do not require the use of chemical treatment to ensure durability. Chemically treated lumber, including reclaimed wood, is well known to leach chemicals into the surrounding area, damaging important plant and animal species. ipe can naturally last up to 40 years with no unnatural agents, while other softer woods last a fraction of that time before needing to be replaced.
In addition, there is much evidence that great strides indeed have been made in enforcing the sustainable logging of ipe lumber. In Brazil, government regulations require loggers to plant new seedlings after mature trees are harvested. The area is then left alone for 25 years, allowing the new seedlings to reach maturity. This process, referred to as reduced-impact logging, drastically reduces deforestation worldwide. The Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, known as IBAMA, has administered $10 million USD in fines to loggers not using proper and legal logging practices.
According to Brazilian Wood Depot, which imports tropical hardwoods directly from Brazil, those convinced that there is widespread and unchecked illegal logging in South American regions are simply misinformed. While there are certainly occasional abuses, the majority of illegal ipe in Brazil is only able to be transported domestically or to the closest border and with the efforts of organizations such as IBAMA, SEMA and EMBRAPA, this is becoming increasingly difficult. Due to the logistics of physically transporting these massive cut trees long distances and the high likelihood of being stopped at one of the many checkpoints along the way, it has become much easier and beneficial for loggers to simply operate in legal, sustainable ways. In fact, from 2000-2010, illegal logging in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 50-75%. For a helpful summary of the environmentally responsible organizations ensuring the legal logging of ipe in Brazil, click here.
Beyond the argument that ipe can be obtained without taking an environmental toll, many also bring up the fact that supporting the ipe industry in Brazil (where the United States sources the majority of its ipe from) is actually a vital part of protecting the Amazonian regions. The true villain when it comes to deforestation and carbon emissions isn’t logging, but industrial cattle and agriculture. Whereas reduced-impact logging is becoming the norm, agriculture involves clear cutting large areas. Due to industrial agricultural practices, this land can only be utilized for a few years and then rendered useless. Supporting the ipe and tropical hardwood industry provides much-needed jobs in these regions and ensures that the land is used in a more sustainable way.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The purchase of any product in today’s society (especially ones imported across country lines) brings with it many considerations. It can be overwhelming, to say the least, to sort through the many facets of a complicated industry and make the most sustainable choice. Terra Dura Landscapes, and other companies such as ours, sees the importance of designing beautiful outdoor spaces that enhance our local and global habitat. Every purchase we make can have an impact, so we seek to diligently research the facts and make the best choice. While Brazil has made great strides in its regulation of the logging industry, there still are abuses that occur. More than ever, it’s important that professionals in the landscape design and architecture industry purchase from reputable companies.
Fortunately, when it comes to ipe, establishing the trustworthiness of your source is fairly straightforward. Start by ensuring the company has a physical location and a substantial inventory. Avoid buying from brokers since it’s virtually impossible to verify the origin of their supply and they often do not know it themselves. Buying from companies with a small or inconsistent inventory is also not advised because it may have been supplied by someone trying to liquidate lumber quickly, therefore making it less likely to be reputable. By far, the easiest way to be sure that your ipe is ethically sourced is to buy from a company that sources directly from Brazil and can present a Certificate of Origin. Since Brazil is much further along in its sustainable logging enforcement, it is far more likely that the wood is legally logged than it would be from most other South American countries.
Terra Dura Landscapes sources all the ipe we use from two companies, TimberTown and Eastside Lumber, here in Austin, Texas. Each of these companies is an established business that sources ipe directly from managed forests in Brazil. Due to the in-depth research we’ve undertaken, we trust the reputability of these suppliers.
As a landscape company that takes pride in every aspect of our projects, from design to installation to maintenance, we will continue to research the products we use to the best of our ability. We seek to only use materials that do as little harm as possible to our local and global community. We feel confident that ipe is as sustainable as it is durable and will continue to use it to create stunning outdoor spaces.
