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Recently a photo posted to social media went viral, of a huge Sitka Spruce log on a logging truck on Vancouver Island, a short few kilometres from where I live. Turns out it was being delivered to a tonewood company in Port Alberni that supplies upwards of 400,000 soundboards a year to the industry. There is a related post today in an independent (i.e. funded by donation) online journal called The Tyee covering a story about tonewood sustainability. The piece is a little Australia-centric, and I wish it went much deeper; it does not go far enough in uncovering abuses in the industry, or good news stories about, for example, excellent alternative tonewoods, but it is encouraging to see that more people and companies are more willing to look at the issue. By the way, the BC government recently passed regulations preventing the future cutting of trees the size of the one that made the social media (about time). Here's the link to the story: https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2021/06/01/O ... ign=030621
Bruce W., Ladysmith, BC.

there is always a pro con on this . The trees we need in luthery are old growth trees. Fortunately some countries are proactive in managing this resource. Carpathian spruce is a great example also Red spruce is now coming back into the game with the stands reaching maturity.
we have to be proactive in this and accept the resource management controls. Remember there was a time Martin was using 4 piece tops on their guitars.

Sustainability is something I'm keeping an eye on too. I'm glad they're looking at it, otherwise we won't have good tonewood for the future. Sustainability is also at issue with pearl products, which is why I'm experimenting with alternatives.

This is part of my reason for using native/locally sourced alternative tonewoods.

I have a cherry and a black locust guitar in progress, with Osage orange, walnut, and maple on hand.

paua is a good shell to use this is offall from the ablone industry. use it all you want this is farmed most commercial comes from that source

I have heard that East Indian Rosewood is sometimes sourced from trees that provide necessary shade in tea plantations. But I have not been able to verify that, don't know why they would cut those trees down if it produces better/more tea, don't know why it is CITES listed if it is somewhat "sustainable". As a consumer you just don't know. So the news about paua is good, thanks, John.