chong

Beth,
Since you're into hardwoods, I was surprised that you did not mention the two trees listed on CITES: Honduran Mahogany (Caoba); and Brazilian Cherry Wood (Guapinol). How scarce are these two woods? Until recently, I did not know that these two are listed in CITES. As such, I would have thought that the propagation and cultivation of these two trees would highly encouraged.

I am curious because 8 or 9 years ago, I bought a nice large (service for 12 with the insert leaves) dining table and arm chairs made of solid thick planks of Honduran Mahogany, but they came from Indonesia. It was a road show at Costco, and there was limited supply. But although the price was at least 1/6th what they would cost at a regular furniture store, I could only afford the table and 2 arm chairs. Since then, I've been looking everywhere for 10 equivalent side chairs to complete my set but have been unsuccessful. At the time that I bought it, the side chairs cost $290 each. So I wanted to save up for them. The company does not have a contract with Costco anymore, and the new contractors have been selling only veneer furniture and they do not even have any that are made of Honduran Mahogany.

The Brazilian Cherry Wood is a similar story.
several years ago, I bought over a thousand square feet of 5"x 3/4" random length Tongue and Groove with matched end flooring, and I still have them sitting in my carport because I don't have enough to cover the area that I wanted to put them in. I have since decided to just use red oak instead because I have been unable to find that wood flooring in the same size.

If these trees are endangered now, how is it that there are some companies that are selling these trees for speculation?

Thanks.
Chong