Glossary

For the purposes of the National Forest Policy Statement, old growth forest has been defined as "Forest that is ecologically mature and has been subject to negligible unnatural disturbance such as logging, roading, and clearing". The definition focuses on forests in which the upper stratum or overstorey is in the late mature to over mature growth phases

A lightweight, triangulated structural system used in floors and roofs, consisting of top and bottom chords connected by open, diagonal or vertical web members, which create a rigid frame with voids for service routing.

Open-grained wood is timber with a surface texture that shows distinct pores or grain lines (also known as coarse textured), even after it has been sanded smooth. The surface may feel slightly uneven or have visible grooves.

Common open-grained woods: Oak, Ash, Mahogany, Walnut, Chestnut

A large, broadleaf deciduous tree known for its very large leaves, and its light-colored, fine-grained hardwood used in furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, and veneers. The Indigenous Lakwungen people of Vancouver Island knew it as the ‘Paddle Tree’ and created paddles and spindle wheels from its wood.

Organic building materials are materials composed of or derived from carbon-based natural sources, such as wood, plant fibres, or animal by-products, often used in sustainable and climate-conscious construction.

Refers to a condition where all moisture has been completely removed from a piece of wood by drying it in an oven at a standard temperature (usually around 103–105°C) until it reaches a constant weight. 

What "oven dry" Means: Oven-dry wood = 0% moisture content. Used as a reference point to calculate the moisture content (MC) of timber.

The end of timber that is unsupported by rack sticks and extends beyond the ends of most pieces in an air-drying stack, rack, pack, or unit of timber.