With some of the remaining material, we made a gorgeous dining table that I am proud to say is my own. The color variations and the unique grains make this a conversational piece and we used pieces to showcase the unusual shape of the trunk where the branches started to extend.
In the custom furniture industry, black walnut is the most sought after species due to its darker, brown color palette with purple undertones. These distinct characteristics made it a popular choice for years, but more recently it's become a lot harder and more expensive to purchase as they have been overharvested to keep up with the high demand. When it comes to salvaging, the walnut definitely a more difficult species for us to acquire - there just aren't many logs left to be found in Toronto.
Many reached maturity and came down naturally -- but I have heard from many people how they wish they could remove their walnut because it's too messy. If it isn't the squirrels knocking down the nuts, it's that they can’t grow anything in the area due to the juglones that walnuts give off. [Editor's note: the LEAF Learning Garden contains juglans-tolerant species like the arrowwood, Canadian anemone and the common blue violet].
I understand, nobody wants a dented vehicle or bump on the head - but let's step back for a second. For many of us, the benefits of a mature and healthy tree outweighs its drawbacks. Creating habitats for wildlife, cleaning the air, reducing energy bills and providing a wind break...the list goes on. In our recent newsletter, we listed 10 reasons why you should plant a tree or in this case, keep one and you can also check out our Facebook page for more on this topic. We always love to hear why others feel trees are important.
We are careful not to create a market for this at UTS - even though we love it. I've heard stories of arborists offering "deals" to remove "sick" and "old" trees when they are totally healthy and turning around to sell the wood for profit. I hate to think of how many homeowners have had this happen - believing the company is doing them a favor, unaware they just took down a tree that could have had many years ahead.
Thankfully, the city of Toronto, along with many other municipalities across Canada have implemented by-laws preventing people from removing mature trees without just cause (In Toronto it is anything over 30cm in diameter at breast height). The larger tree require applying for a permit before they can be removed. That being said, we should appreciate the trees as they stand and be patient as they live out their lives. Once their time is up we can create beautiful and unique furniture pieces!
Melissa Neist is the cofounder of Urban Tree Salvage in Toronto.