Ash Management Guide for Private Forest Landowners

Chapter 3Ash: A 21stCentury ResourceGLOSSARYbole: The trunk or main stemof a tree.A hand-woven,black ash baskettaking shapecharacteristics allow it to highlight abeauty only nature can provide.Although the quality of burl is notknown until you begin working with it,Cultural significancePhoto: U of M Extension/David Wilseyburl wood can be used for veneer or frequentlyturned to create high end productslike clocks, mirrors, knife handles,wood bowls etc.The unique characteristics of blackash have made it a staple of the traditionalAmerican Indian basket-makingindustry. U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairsforester and basket maker Michael Benedictpredicts: “If and when emerald ashborer gets to the state’s remaining stands,the material will be very rare or nonexistentin some areas.”Ash holds cultural significance to certaincommunities. Many woodland communitiesprize ash for its characteristicsand feature ash wood in practical tools,many of which have become elevated toart forms. Black ash, in particular, is prizedin basketry because of the straight andsmooth trunks. Once it has been felled, thetree bole, or trunk, is pounded to removethe sapwood layers.Pounding the tree separates thegrowth rings into strips about the thicknessof a nickel. Pounded strips aresoaked, cleaned, and separated again intothinner strips. Depending on the thicknessof the original strip, this process canoccur several times, each yielding thinnerand finer “ribbons” of wood.Larger strips are used to form thebasket’s base and sides. Thinner strips, orweavers, are used to weave the basket’sbottom and sides. Black ash baskets havea rich tradition. Ash baskets make excellentpack baskets and were likely used totransport goods by the voyageurs. Ashbaskets bring high prices in the marketplace:large baskets can cost thousandsof dollars. Basketry is not a quaint relicof the past. Today, people use this earlytechnology to create and sustain forestbasedenterprises.For further information on Cultural Signifcancesof Ash, see Appendix D, page 6614 22