56
Escarpment Magazine Summer 2013
‘Genuine Mahogany’
, scientifically known as Swietenia Macrophylla, has always
been the most desirable wood around the globe because of its unmatched beauty. The term
‘genuine mahogany’ applies only to the Swietenia mahoganies, wherever grown, so beware
of imposter mahoganies, such as African mahogany, Philippine mahogany, and Royal ma-
hogany. These woods do not possess the desirable characteristics of ‘genuine mahogany’.
Comparing these fakes to true mahogany is like comparing bronze to gold.
‘Genuine mahogany’ is the optimal wood for all applications, from constructing guitars to
building boats however, centuries of intense usage, fed by unabated harvesting, led to its
near extinction in the mid twentieth century. Foreseeing a dire future shortage of ‘genuine
mahogany’, while being great appreciators of the wood, the British government ordered
massive amounts of ‘genuine mahogany’ seeds to be taken from Honduras and planted on
the island of Fiji, across the South Pacific Ocean, which they controlled. Through the effort of
the British navy just after World War Two, ‘genuine mahogany’ trees were cultivated on Fiji.
Through the cautious protection and nourishment of the Fijian government, over 40,000
hectares of ‘genuine mahogany’ forests now grow on Fiji. Harvesting was first allowed in
2003 for minimal quantities, but levels have grown slowly to sustain a viable long term supply.
The Fijian government created the Mahogany Industry Development Decree in 2010 to es-
tablish the brand of “Fiji PureMahogany” and ensure that all plantations are utilized efficiently
to provide maximum benefit to local landowners, indigenous peoples, and the populace of
Fiji. This is in sharp contrast to the corrupt and opaque deals for the management of tropical
hardwoods fostered by some other governments.
This is a truly remarkable accomplishment in a world where the deforestation of pristine rain-
forests runs rampant and various officials seek to plunder the land they supposedly represent.
Fiji has chosen to preserve and maintain this beautiful natural resource.
Mahogany’s
outstanding
weathering
properties and
natural durability
against rot has been
known for centuries
and is widely
considered as one of
the most stable
commercial timbers
available today.
Once an endangered species,
‘Genuine Mahogany’
is now a
GREEN
choice
for decking.
‘Genuine Mahogany’
makes a
Comeback!
ESCARPMENT HOMES
|
product spotlight feature
