Why would you want to build using Wood?

Why on earth a wood house?

Everybody knows that wooden houses are for children, doggies, and weirdos who live in the backwoods. Yes, they have seen the light, and now also modern intelligent people realize wood is the world’s best building material. Soon, we will have wooden bridges, arenas, houses, kindergartens, and even skyscrapers all over.

You’re going to love it.

So, has wood come into fashion? Hmmmm. Since when did it ever fall out of fashion? It’s always been the best building material whichever way you look at it.

Now get your brain around this. Relative to its weight, wood is the world’s strongest building material. That’s the way nature made it which is why building with wood is quick, easy, and economical (as all do-it-yourself women know, it’s a piece of cake) and because nature made wood so strong and flexible, tall wooden buildings remain standing even during earthquakes.

Now, here’s something for your heart.

Wood is beautiful, feels good, and has a wonderful scent, creates and excellent indoor climate and acoustics, and keeps you warm, but don’t take our word for it. If you “wood” give it a try.

Here’s something for your conscience. 

Wood is the most environmentally friendly material. It’s the only building material made by the sun, and with carbon from the air, so wood stores carbon and reduces the greenhouse effect, and it’s the only renewable material in perpetual supply forever and ever (from properly managed forests of course), and should wooden houses be demolished, you don’t end up with waste, nooooo! For wood can be recycled or burned. Thus using the solar energy stored in the wood to replace using coal, oil, and gas. Brilliant! Which is why modern intelligent people choose wood, caring

Invest in wood for wood is good

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Re|Source 2012: Knowing the Unknowns: a bumpy road ahead?

Check out the excellent video regarding Commodities and Resources currently and envisioned and the impact on business, population and national security

Consider How important Trees are for our everyday needs?

Consider How important Trees are for our everyday needs?

If you consider the situation with the depletion of our natural forests, it is not hard to foresee how it is massively important to start the process of afforestation projects.

Oil, Gas, Iron Ore etc.,etc. can (ultimately) all be replaced with alternatives no matter how unstable the world may become due to their scarcity. However, trees are not a natural resource that can be depleted to near extinction. Obviously, we need them to exist. Unless, we as a race, find an alternative to oxygen!

Logically, it can be seen that trees will, in fact, be more precious and usable in the future, especially within an ever growing population.

Why?

Well think of all the uses of trees.

Heat

Wood to many people is still the primary source of heat.

Going back to basics, wood was the first material used for heating and at present it is making a marked comeback in the form of wood pellets for their use within industrial power generation and also within the home using wood burning stoves. This is not just in the industrialised countries but also, increasingly, within developing nations. Charcoal is still, a regulary used form of fuel for heating and cooking. Wood is recognised as an environmentally safer material when contrasted against other raw materials i.e. oil or coal. With the cost of oil, coal and gas increasing, it is also economically viable.

Construction

It seems obvious that wood will remain the main source material in the construction industry. What is likely to replace it? As population and demographics explode this will put a massive strain on supply and demand. Unless, that supply is illegally sourced from existing forests causing further depletion to one of our greatest natural resources.

Furniture

I would suggest that the need for wood in this sector is likely to increase further as man-made materials are in some way linked to the expensive raw material, Oil. We know oil can't last forever. It won't be long before it is just too uneconomic to use Oil. Unlike wood, Oil takes many thousands of years to form.

Paper

This is likely to rise and then fall in demand as most text will be electronic. However, packaging and tissue usage will likely increase. This is a reality and again linked to population and economic issues. Paper is likely to be a major industry for many years to come.

Transport

Consider how many pallets are used to transport goods worldwide and within a local economy. Again, what is a likely alternative.

With worldwide government intervention trying to halt illegal logging and also with the introduction of Carbon Credits as an Asset class, I believe that the afforestation of large swathes of land is likely and necessary. Don't forget timber is the worlds third biggest commodity traded.

Thought? If carbon emissions are a major factor in #climate change and #trees are a major sequester of carbon why don't we plant more trees?

Forestry Plantations are potentially a solid long term investment. You can find information of Sustainable Forestry Investments at www.silvinvest.co.uk

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Creating Income from Australian Renewable Energy Sources

Thanks to the unique weather conditions in Queensland Australia, the country is seeing the development of an exciting new form of Green Oil derived from the Millettia trees that are native to the region.

These trees are providing clean, renewable energy solutions for the area and the opportunity for income development for investors from all over the world.

Green Oil

Green Oil is a form of sustainable energy that has actually been used throughout the world for centuries for a variety of purposes including home heating and power generation. It can be derived directly from the Millettia tree itself and, though alternative sources can include waste, biomass and other types of plant life, the Millettia tree provides a pure and concentrated product that is ideal for the creation of clean environmentally friendly energy.

The long, strong roots from this species mean that it can access water and nutrients that other plants simply cannot reach, making it thrive in the hot, humid climate of Queensland and creating a fantastic opportunity for investment in sustainable energy solutions for all.

The Growth in Sustainable Energy Sources

As the population expands, the world is using more energy than ever before and some forecast that most of our stock source of fossil fuels could be depleted within the space of the next 40-80 years. This has led to deep investigation into a wide range of possible fuel production techniques which are friendlier to the environment today; sustainable for the future and provide viable alternatives for the worlds energy requirements.

Developments in the Australian Market

In Australia alone they are finding new and innovative ways to produce the energy required to fulfil the growing demand. From wind and solar energy through to marine and bio-energy resources, the country is identifying new and innovative ways to meet this energy crisis. However, none of these solutions are anywhere near as advanced as the progression they have already made in Green Oil production.

With over 30 years experience, the plantations in Australia have the opportunity to tap into a wealth of, as yet, untouched resources in this vast region and start to meet the rising demands of alternative energy. The Australian government have set a target to make 20% of all energy consumption in the country originate from renewable energy sources by the year 2020. From a current platform of 5%, this is going to mean massive growth within the industry and the potential for significant returns for all those that choose to invest.

Rates of Return

Currently, investments in the Millettia plantations in Queensland are offering an annual fixed rate of return over either a five or eight year investment term at which point in time the initial amount invested is returned. The forecast Return on Investment (ROI) for the 5 yr Investment is a fantastic 80% with the 8 yr investment forecast to provide a 109% ROI. Investments can be made directly or via a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). The product provides the opportunity for consistent growth via a reliable source of income. Take advantage of the opportunity to get in at the growth stage within a product taking a new direction in the production of clean renewable energy in the future.

For further information please contact Silvinvest. You can book a telephone enquiry session using our appointment booking widget located top right.

Have you ever considered the potential of an investment creating a Legacy?

Have you ever considered the potential of an investment creating a Legacy? Obviously most people’s understanding of “legacy” is to provide financial security for their heirs. The simple meaning of legacy refers to “the lasting effects an event leaves behind after it’s finished“. An investment legacy could have the potential of benefiting more than the pursuit of profit or the provision of inheritance.

Therefore, would you consider an investment legacy that provides an investment return but also provides for the environment in which present and future generations will live?

Investing in timber can provide a safeguard to our established eco-systems by creating more forests and more trees. Trees help create a healthy atmosphere, reduce the impact of climate change and provide important habitats for communities and wildlife. Creating forestry plantations and tree farms, via investment, can help relieve the pressure on our already depleted old forest stocks of timber and wood.

Importantly, it is also creating a healthy return for your money, providing a financial legacy perhaps for retirement or for other financial goals, such as inheritance.

What it means for the environment is potentially a whole lot more.

Educating a Future Generation.

As the demand for timber grows at an unprecedented rate, so does the illegal logging trade. By investing in sustainable forests you are helping to meet these demands and in turn reduce the destructive need for such illegal wood. Protection of our most vulnerable eco-systems is consistently more important with each passing year. Within many rainforests, illegal logging is the norm and results in the destruction of around one and a half acres of forest every second. As governments begin to realise the benefits of sustainable plantations, this illegal trade will eventually be driven out and communities and industry will be educated in good and effective forest management.

Green Legacies

Should you invest in timber, you might wonder what happens once trees are harvested and your investment reaches maturity. Well you have the option to extend your investment period which will in turn generate more profit or ultimately your trees will be harvested and the investment closed. What happens to the land does differ with every plantation but the usual outcome is that it is re-planted, so the forest is replenished and ready to begin the cycle all over again.

Timber plantations are recognised as contributing to the economy of that country. By planting new tree farms it can protect that countries existing forest status. Many forestry plantations are placed within a forest easement trust which protects them from conversion into other uses. Such trusts may prohibit the landowner from engaging in any activity that could damage the forest whilst encouraging good forestry practices.

This may result in the land continually being used to provide sustainable timber whilst ensuring that existing wildlife habitats are protected and new biodiversity can be established. So not only will your legacy help to protect an area of forest or even rainforest but it will also ensure a regular and sustainable contribution to the local economy.

So just one investment in timber production could leave behind a legacy that in some way benefits many in many different ways.

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Timber Farming in Sri Lanka

In recent years the degradation of the Sri Lankan forests has been the country's most serious environmental issue. Due to the significant amount of land required for the production of tea in one of the major producers of the world, as well as the need for further land for agriculture and irrigation networks, deforestation has been such a key factor within Sri Lanka that it has been a major initiative within the region to halt the decline of the country's natural forests and build up a sustainable timber industry ripe for international investment.

Though historically the country could boast that nearly half of the entire island was covered by forest, between 1990 and 2000 alone Sri Lanka lost more than 1% of the land used for such purposes year on year. However, due to the tight policies and laws implemented by the Government and the contribution made by International Environmental Organisations, the rate of deforestation in the country is now declining by as much as 35% with managed sustainable forests becoming a key contributor to both the local economy and the hardwood timber industry as a whole.

Though large scale planting has only been established in the region since the early 1950's, radical changes in the processes used to grow and harvest timber within Sri Lanka have enabled the industry to benefit from environmental and economical efficiencies that have altered the face of the entire business and developed a sustainable solution that provides an attractive investment proposition that is both economically and environmentally sound.

With the majority of the forests owned and run by the National Forest Department and identified areas across the region now preserved for the production of timber, the perfect conditions in the region have enabled the production of large scale Teak plantations which is now by far the most common type of hardwood grown within this area.

As one of the most durable of the tropical hardwoods, more than 85% of teak produced across the world is used in the furniture industry however its high oil content provides a quality that makes teak equally as vital in ship and yacht building. And with such a shortfall in the supply of teak compared with the level of demand for this natural resource, the value of this timber continues to climb and provide healthy returns for those that invest.

Under the Forestry Sector Development Programme in 1990 the Sri Lankan Government introduced a blanket logging ban across all natural forests and has ensured that illegal logging is not the major issue within Sri Lanka that it has been in other timber producing companies.

And with stability now surrounding the democratically elected government, which is continuing to encourage international investment, particularly in environmentally friendly investments, and increases in population within Sri Lanka and across the globe translating into further demand for high quality teak, the hardwood grown within the region provides a range of reliable and qualified investment opportunities that are going to reap significant rewards for any long term investor.

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The Role of Trees in Climate Change

There can be no doubt amongst anyone that studies the environment as a whole that climate change is now a reality and has contributed to rising temperatures on a global scale.

As temperature increases, even by a fraction of a degree, these small but significant variances can influence natural evaporation events to such an extent that the timings and underlying nature of plant growth itself is being changed forever.

But climate change does not only alter the basis of plant life, it also changes the fundamental dynamics between pests and disease as well as the very foundations of the animals that can live and thrive in different areas of the globe.

Such changes have had huge implications for those working within the agriculture industry that have found their farms and ranches much less profitable and viable than ever before and the species and varieties of animal they are able to farm much different to those they have experienced in the past.

As the problem of climate change has predominantly been caused by burning fossil fuels and deforestation, by carefully reintroducing more trees into the areas that have been most greatly impacted, we can in fact start to reabsorb some of the CO2 that has been emitted and slow down the process of climate change that we have experienced over recent years.

However, the benefit of introducing trees into the environment is not exclusive to the CO2 absorption they provide. In addition, planting sustainable woodland on agricultural land has become a way for many to seek an alternative income source that is much less influenced by changes in the environment and can provide a stable way of living into the future.

This combination of trees and agriculture, commonly known as Agroforestry may well be the solution both in terms of environmental issues and also economic challenges that many landowners now face.

By identifying the correct types of trees that thrive in the local area and focussing on planting them in sufficient numbers, land owners not only establish protection for the environment but also take back control their personal livelihood. Furthermore, the shade of forest trees can provide habitats to a number of diverse forms of wildlife which can bring back a natural equilibrium to the land and the roots of the trees are able to trap sediments and nutrients into the soil, enabling further plant life to thrive within the canopy provided. While the trees are growing, the natural barriers that they provide can also ensure that the wild stock on the land are preserved and have a greater opportunity to thrive than ever before.

Though clearing agricultural land for forestation would be economically unviable for the farmer if they are planting for carbon absorption alone, by planting the right types of timber that provide a high sell on value to the land owner, this combination of agriculture and forestry could mean that trees themselves could be both a short term and long term solution to the challenges we now face.

www.silvinvest.co.uk