When is World Wood Day and what is it all about?

The World Wood Day is on March 21. This day highlights wood as an eco-friendly and renewable biomaterial. It also aims to raise awareness on the key role of wood in a sustainable world through biodiversity and forest conservation. The day also reminds us about the importance, value and uses of wood.

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We often wonder is there a difference between wood and timber. Well, timber is referred as the wood at any stage after a tree has been felled. This can include the raw material also known as rough timber or the many processed form of it.

The term “wood” on the other hand is used to refer to the substance that makes up a tree. Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic material. The primary function of wood is to support a tree, enabling it to grow tall enough to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. Wood also enables the transfer of water and nutrients to growing leaves and tissues.

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Wood has been around for thousands of years and we use wood and timber as construction materials, for fuel and for making tools, furniture and paper.

In Malaysia, the two popular types of wood are “Balau” and “Chengal”. We can see the uses of wood in carvings for mosque as decorative motifs, traditional games especially congkak and traditional musical instruments.

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Many of the traditional musical instruments in Malaysia are made of wood. Most of the membranophones have their frames made of wood. The woodwind instruments such as serunai and seruling are either made of wood or bamboo. Other instruments made of wood include angklung and rebab, a bowed-string instrument.

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World Wood Day is a week-long celebration anticipated by artists, educators and hobbyists all over the world. The celebration focuses on various uses of wood and served as a platform for people to make their own contributions, in any ways possible for a sustainable future of our planet and environment.

Happy World Wood Day! Won’t you pick a card and send it to your loved ones and friends to wish them just that?