ADDENDUM #1 STATEMENT FROM TIM KEATING DIRECTOR OF RAINFOREST RELIEF

Parks Department Claims: There are no viable alternatives. Domestic woods are not practical. Black locust is not available.
There are numerous viable alternatives to tropical hardwoods for decking. First, a little history. The vast majority of boardwalks in the United States, and likely all large coastal boardwalks, have traditionally used softwoods for decking (and most of the understructure). Domestic softwoods worked well for many years. Thats because the softwoods chosen were those that were inherently rotresistant. The countrys first coastal boardwalk was laid down on the sand in Atlantic City in 1870. The City used Atlantic whitecedar, which was locally available and very rot-resistant. However, once the boardwalk grew in size as a large, raised, the quantities of Atlantic whitecedar in New Jersey were dwindling and the city also wanted a stronger wood. They shifted to old-growth heart pine from the south. Shortly thereafter, New York City began constructing the Reigelman Boardwalk. This was a large undertaking the City looked to the west for old-growth Douglas fir, a very rot-resistant wood (at least as old-growth) in the outdoors. By the 1930s, Atlantic Citys engineer became convinced that softwoods treated with chemicals to make them more rot-resistant were the answer. They were lessexpensive than old-growth woods from across the country. Thus, for the next 30 years, both AC and NYC used either old-growth softwoods or those treated with (toxic) chemicals. All the other ensuing coastal boardwalks, from New Jersey to Florida to California, followed suit. Not once did it occur to any of these towns that the US might already have hardwoods that could be a better choice. Hardwoods were simply too expensive. Up-front costs vs. maintenance/replacement costs were not considered. That is, until Greenheart Durawoods, a small wood importing company in New Jersey, began to promote tropical hardwoods to New York City Parks Department. Here was the argument that could have been made with domestic hardwoods all along: what costs you the most money? Replacing the boardwalk wood en masse. The longer you can put that off, the more you will save. So, in the late 1960s, Parks gave bethabara (what we now know as ip) a try (even though it was very expensive up-front). The wood lasted about 20 years. Into its tenth year, Parks was convinced and began replacing the entire boardwalk with tropical hardwoods.

The tragedy in all this was that our own teak, black locust, a wood that had been used for two centuries for tree nails and occasionally hulls in wooden ships, for wagon wheel hubs and telegraph poles and fenceposts, a wood that could last a century in the ground without rotting, but which had fallen out of favor when metals and plastics became cheaper, had been forgotten. As well, white oak, which the early colonists had used for doors, siding and roofing shingles, pilings and garden benches, was also forgotten. All because everyone believed that hardwoods were too expensive for the decking of large boardwalks and no mills believed that municipalities would ever pay that much. All this to say that it is often cultural momentum and the market that determine what people buy, not what is the absolutely best material. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) (see attached for detailed information about the material) is available from numerous mills around the United States. Black locust is classified by the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Lab as extremely durable in the outdoors. It is known to last from 70 100 years in ground contact without treatment. Civil War barracks made with black locust roofing and siding are still standing today. Rainforest Relief estimates that black locust will last far longer than tropical hardwoods for benches and boardwalk decking. But there are challenges to obtaining black locust for decking currently: Black locust should be kiln dried for this application. Few mills kiln dry and when they do, it is in small quantities. Kiln drying adds to the turn-around time. Black locust is currently considered a specialty wood and thus few mills keep substantial quantities of air-dried lumber in stock. The vast majority of the black locust available in the US is as standing timber, that is, the trees have yet to be cut. Turnaround time from the time of a large order to the time it is kiln-dried and delivered is 8 10 weeks (about as long to cut and ship custom ip sizes from Brazil). Mills do not typically sell black locust for 2x4 decking. The most common use of black locust is for fenceposts. Because black locust is a much smaller tree than giant, old-growth tropical trees such as ip or cumaru, the yield of long boards is much less. Parks typically orders boards in 20-foot lengths (trimming 6 9 inches from each end of the board to accommodate the angle). An optimum length for black locust would be 10 feet, thus necessitating a seam atop a joist on installation. This could add a small percentage to the installation time.

 The most efficient grade in which to order black locust is called sound tight knot. This means that any knots in the wood are sound (they will never fall out) and tight (small). But it also means that there will be some visible knots. Parks has utilized clear, old-growth wood for many decades, so this would have a slightly different aesthetic. These challenges can be met in two ways: Parks could order black locust from a single vendor, who could consolidate quantities from a number of mills and oversee the drying. If Parks were to provide a Letter of Understanding stating that they would buy a certain quantity of black locust if it were to meet a certain grade and quality, at a specified time in the near future, this would likely be enough for that vendor to invest in consolidating the inventory to meet the requirement. First order delivery would take place within three months, with subsequent orders being available for delivery much more quickly. In the Northeast, Armster Reclaimed Lumber has been consolidating black locust for the last year. Klaas Armster can be reached at 203/214-9705. Parks could order small quantities of black locust from numerous vendors and stockpile material on a rotating basis, building up standing inventory for larger projects. None of these challenges would pertain to the next two alternatives. White Oak (Quercus alba) This is the third most-commonly cut hardwood in the US. Availability is not an issue. Indeed, road work crews use white oak for numerous applications, including soil barriers when theyre drilling in the streets of New York. White oak is classified as very durable by the Forest Products Lab and has been used extensively in the outdoors for centuries. The use for exterior doors and outdoor furniture is still common and in the past, pilings and docks where often made of white oak. It was a common material for wooden sailing ships. The British Navy relied on European oak, white oaks European cousin, to build their ships, until Britain discovered teak in India. Rainforest Relief estimates that white oak will last as long as tropical hardwoods for benches and boardwalk decking. White oak is available in long lengths and high grades (such as FAS) from literally hundreds of large and small mills across the eastern US. It is a relatively inexpensive hardwood due to its widespread availability.

Thermory

Thermory is (typically) northern white ash (Fraxinus alba) that has been thermally-modified to perform extremely well in the outdoors. Not only is it as durable as tropical hardwoods, it is likely more stable. The thermal modification involves heating the wood to very high temperatures in a kiln. These high temperatures can be achieved without the wood igniting by introducing steam. The higher temperatures drive out the sugars, which are the edible component of wood that makes it attractive to microorganisms that would normally consume the wood. It also makes the wood less hydrophilic, that is, it takes on moisture less easily. It is the combination of moisture in the wood (combined with freezethaw action) and microorganisms that deteriorate a wood in the outdoors. Thermory is now available in the US in large quantities (turnaround would be a 6 8 weeks for large orders), in high grades and in long lengths. Contact Kevin DeMars, Thermory US: 585/591-2333.

Relative Costs
Most of the materials that are alternatives to tropical hardwoods for outdoor applications cost roughly the same as tropical hardwoods on a per-board-foot basis. The exception is white oak. As stated above, we estimate that white oak will last as long as tropical hardwoods have for the Boardwalk but would cost substantially less. Thus, cost concerns come down to factors other than up-front purchase with durability being the main factor. Clearly, structural recycled plastic lumber is the most durable material. This is, without a doubt, the best material with which to build the understructure of the Boardwalk. At this time, however, Rainforest Relief is not recommending this material for the decking of the Coney Island/Brighton Beach Boardwalk. As yet, no SRPL manufacturer has shown that the surface embossing will hold up over time and thus not become slippery. This is a major concern for a boardwalk as heavily-trafficked as NYCs. This has been (and will be) exacerbated by the installation of concrete slab directly beneath the decking material. This configuration traps sand atop the Boardwalk. With vehicles, wind and shoes, the sand will scour the deck, wearing down the top surface over time. Other than SRPL, black locust is by far the most durable non-tropical wood material available. Any additional costs to installing black locust would be far outweighed by its longevity. Black locust could last for 70 years on the Boardwalk. Thermory comes with a 20-year warranty. White oak should last at least as long as the last round of ip, which was only 13 17 years.