Port-Orford-Cedar: A Forgotten Species

P orr-Orford-cedar grows naturally only in scattered stands, or as scattered individuals, in a small area of Oregon and California. Yet there has been worldwide distribution of both the plant and nat ive-grown wood, developing, as it were, a commercial "split personality" for the tree. In the 130 years since its discovery, the cedar has time and again proven its versatility, in its form as an ornamental, in its growth requirements, and in its recovery from repeated losses of a market, often in the face of developing technology. It became a major horticultural product, and continues as such, in Europe and New Zealand. The wood, once considered a "critical material" for the United States' efforts in the two world wars, is today virtually unknown in its land of origin. Despite its diverse potential uses, the present value of native Port-Orfordcedar wood depends entirely on traditional aesthetic values of Japanese society, which have resulted in a steady demand for this beautiful wood . The commercial future of PortOrford-cedar timber production is threatened by an aggressive root disease that reached the commercial timber as a direct consequence of the species' ornamental use. Whether the cedar will survive as a commercial timber depends on decisions made by American foresters today. 1