The source of our materials – The Sunken forest

The Brokopondo Reservoir with its over 1,500 km2 area is approximately five times the size of Amsterdam area. The lake has an amazing and special feature, a sunken treasure hidden underneath the surface. When the lake was formed by contructing a dam between 1960 and 1964, the forest remained in the flooding zone. The amount of wood, which is currently still under water, has been in the lake for 50 years and is also sufficient for a constant harvest of a minimum of 50 years. The surprising thing: Although the trees have died close to five decades ago, their quality is exceptionally high as the fresh water has preserved them perfectly. They are highly resistant to rotting, bending and cracking and are therefore particularly suitable for outdoor use but unique enough for indoor use as well.

Research revealed that this lake consists over more than 58 wood species. The operation process regarding the exploitation of the wood in the lake starts with divers who go underwater to crosscut the logs from below the surface. Afterwards the best logs are handpicked and sent for processing into final product for export. The operational process regarding the underwater logging can be deemed as highly eco-friendly.

Harvesting of trees

Lakewood, because of the preservation under water, has shown to be extremely durable, and offers assurance of superior quality wood. For wood to decay it needs exposure to water (moisture) and oxygen. If one of these is absent it won’t decay .e.g. in the case of underwater wood there is little to no oxygen so it stays well preserved. 

This preservation makes the saps in the wood minuscule, creating a density and texture that makes the drying process of the wood remarkably shorter. Having a decreased period span for the drying period can mean two things for the end product supplier: less costs and faster delivery time.

Cutting logs in an underwater forest demands an incredibly skilled and experienced diving team. Our harvesting process does not harm the environment in any way.