One of the most highly prized and available softwoods is western red cedar which is native to the north-west coastal region of British Columbia and Washington State. It is a unique wood which has become a firm favourite in the UK and its fine straight grain, natural decay resistance and freedom from pitch and distortion have made it a preferred wood for cladding materials where attractive appearance and weather resistance are important.

Not so well known is the importance that western red cedar played in the history and culture of the indigenous native people living along BC’s wet coastal belt.

Centuries before Captain Cook landed on Vancouver Island looking for spar replacements for his two ships, the Resolution and the Discovery, western red cedar supplied the original peoples with virtually all their material, artistic and spiritual needs.

Ancient practices

&#8220Western red cedar has one of the longest life spans of any North American softwood. Indigenous people recognised this, using it for their totem poles”

Because it was easily split and soft to work it was used in the construction of their housing and carved to provide all their domestic implements. Cedar’s huge trunks were shaped into their sea-going canoes, burial caskets and poles. The long string-like bark was peeled off the trees to provide clothing, make baskets and fashion cradles for the young. Indeed the Kwakiutl tribe prayed to the tree before stripping its bark and chanting: “Look at me friend, I ask for your dress, for you have come to take pity on us, for there is nothing for which you cannot be used.”

We now know that western red cedar has one of the longest life spans of any North American softwood. The indigenous people recognised this when they used it to carve their majestic totem poles which are the best known survivors of the ancient culture. They still stand in many of BC’s provincial parks.

An industrial survivor of this rich heritage is the modern shingle and shake industry. Its processing technology descends directly from the ancient practice of using cedar’s straight grain for splitting boards and shakes to cover the roofs and walls of tribal long houses.

Like their early predecessors, today’s industry recognised the inherent advantages of cedar as a raw material for a modern but simple process of splitting and sawing cedar blocks into roof and wall cladding material.

Not only is the final product recognised for its beauty and simplicity, but it increasingly satisfies the growing demand for an environmentally friendly alternative to most of the traditional cladding products on the market.