Benefits of Alder Wood

The chances are that most homeowners don't think about the type of wood that is used to build their homes. The 2x4s and plywood sheathing that makes up most homes' structure are most likely pre-determined by the contractor, with Douglas fir and different pine species being the most commonly used. The type of wood used for our baseboard, trim, and molding is often determined by whatever is on sale at Home Depot or Lowe's for our home's interior.

For homeowners looking to be thoroughly involved in choosing the most sustainable raw materials for their home, the Alder tree provides high-quality lumber with several different uses inside the house.

Environmental Benefits of Alder Wood

From an ecological perspective, the alder tree is one of the most environmentally beneficial trees that can be used for lumber and home construction. Below, we look at three of the primary benefits.

Nitrogen Fixer Tree

First and foremost, the alder tree is a nitrogen fixer. It has the unique ability to capture nitrogen present in the atmosphere and fix that nitrogen as nodules on its roots. Nitrogen is one of the three main "ingredients" that all plants require for healthy growth. While other tree species might require external nitrogen sources for adequate growth, the Alder tree can capture its nutrition from the surrounding air. Not only does Alder satisfy its own nutritional needs, but the excess nitrogen that it captures is also fixed in the soil, improving soil fertility.

Sustainable Forestry Plan

The Alder tree also responds extremely well to coppice forestry methods. Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management that takes advantage of certain species of tree's ability to send out new shoots from their stumps, roots, or trunks when cutting down. While pine, cedar, Douglas fir, and most other common tree species commonly die when they are cut down, Alder trees can be left to re-grow independently. The fact that the roots stay alive in the ground can reduce soil erosion in areas where Alder trees are present.

Alder trees grow exceptionally fast and quickly grow up to one meter (three feet) per year. In terms of sustainable forest management, forests that are dominated by Alder trees can be harvested more often through coppice forestry methods. This subsequently translates into a greater carbon sequestration potential of forests dominated by the Alder tree.

Locally Grown and Sourced 

There is certainly something special about incorporating genuine mahogany cabinets or FSC certified wood trim made from tropical teak wood into your home. While several wood certification programs help homeowners source tropical woods from sustainably managed sources, the fact remains that wood is heavy. Moving wood from Indonesia (or some other tropical rainforest) to North America requires an enormous amount of energy. It thus significantly increases the embodied energy footprint of your home.

On the other hand, Alder wood grows throughout most of the United States and is readily adaptable to most climatic regions in the country. Eight species of Alder are native to the United States. The ability to source high-quality hardwood lumber that can grow close to home is a great strategy to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the materials in your home.

Responsible sourcing of the raw materials that make up your home is a key element of a sustainable home. Alder wood is a great example of a locally sourced, fast-growing, versatile lumber alternative for quality home construction.

Article by:

Tobias Roberts

Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.