Michael Jackson

July 17, 2009 | Uncategorized

Our condolences go out to Michael Jacksons family, friends and millions of fans. He was a great performer, song writer and humanitarian who will be greatly missed. We need more people in the world who have his compassion, vision and understanding of how we affect the world around us. This video is a great testament to Michaels understanding. So many people don’t…but He got it !

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

In my opinion, this was one of his greatest creations.

Welcome !

March 24, 2009 | Uncategorized

Welcome to Dalbergia Preservation. This website is dedicated to education and awareness on preservation and reforestation of Endangered Tree Species in Brasil. The flagship species and the current main concern in our reforestation project is Dalbergia Nigra (Brazilian Rosewood). Why ?  Simple. It is currently ‘THE’ most threatened species in the world. None the less, there are other Dalbergia species we would like to include in our project in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

Dalbergia Nigra

March 17, 2009 | Endangered Trees, Dalbergia Nigra

Dalbergia Nigra Tree

Brazilian Rosewood - (Dalbergia Nigra)
Family - Leguminosae
Origin - Brasil
Flowers
-September - December
Common Names - Brazilian Rosewood, Jacaranda, Jacaranda da Bahia, Caviuana, Jacaranda Preto

The species, Dalbergia Nigra is most commonly known as Brazilian Rosewood. It is classified scientifically in the Leguminosae Family (Pea or Bean Family). This species is indigenous to and only found in the country of Brazil where it is most commonly known as Jacaranda da Bahia. Other common names of this species in Brazil are Jacaranda, Jacaranda Preto and Caviuna. Read the rest of this entry »

Newly planted Young Dalbergia Nigra tree

March 17, 2009 | Uncategorized

Young Reforested Brazilian Rosewood Tree

One of our Young, Newly Planted Brazilian Rosewood Trees

Cuban Mahogani Seeds and Wood for Sale

March 17, 2009 | Endangered Trees

Cuban Mahogani TreeFor a limited time, we will be offering Cuban Mahogani SEEDS ! For every $11 Donation, we will send the donor a package of 25 FRESH Cuban Mahogani seeds. $1 will cover the shipping to anywhere in the U.S. This is a time restricted offer. We have access to a few Cuban Mahogani trees that are in Full Seed Production NOW. The owners have given us permission to harvest the seeds and sell them to help raise funds for our project. We will only offer these for the remainder of this month and the month of April to insure the seeds are fresh and you will have a high germination rate.

Cuban Mahogany setsI also have Cuban Mahogani sets for the construction of acoustic guitars ! This is reclaimed timber from downed trees in South Florida during the last decades of Hurricanes. This is BEAUTIFUL and very RARE wood. These trees were planted in South Florida as long as 80 to 90 years ago. Unfortunately, they were taken down during the many tropical storms and hurricanes during the last 10 years south florida is so well noted for.

 We will also be offering two new Alternative Tonewoods that are beautiful and show very promising for acoustic guitar construction. Jamaican Dogwood and Wild Tamarind. Both are also native trees of the tropics that we will be selling in early April.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW ! THE SUPPLY OF CUBAN MAHOGANI IS LIMITED ! FIRST COME FIRST SERVED. Contact us for more information.

Farm Bill Provision Affects Musical Instruments, Other Products

December 3, 2008 | Uncategorized

Beginning July 1, 2009, imported musical instruments containing wood or other plant material will need to be accompanied by an import declaration disclosing the scientific name of the wood or plant (including genus and species), the country of origin of the plant material, the quantity of the plant and the value of the product.

The new requirement was contained in an amendment to the federal Lacey Act making it illegal to import or possess any wood or plant product (with some limited exceptions) that is taken or harvested in violation of the laws of the country of origin.  The amendment was added to the omnibus farm bill signed by President Bush in early summer.

Filing of the import declaration is being phased in over a number of months as Customs and Border Protection activates an electronic filing system.  Beginning December 15, 2008 and continuing until the electronic filing system is available, importers may voluntarily file a paper declaration, though it is expected that few will opt to do so.

NAMM is representing this issue with key administration officials seeking to gather additional information and to point out potential problems for the music industry with implementation of the new requirement.  Among the still-unresolved issues are whether an import declaration must be filed for personal imports, for re-import of instruments (e.g., those taken out of the country for a concert and then brought back), imports which arrive via commercial carrier such as FedEx, UPS, etc., and how to deal with importation of vintage or antique instruments where certain required data may not be known.

Additional information may be obtained from James Goldberg in NAMM’s Washington Office at 202-628-2929 or jimcounsel@aol.com.

Activists blast U.S. at climate change talks

December 2, 2008 | Climate change

POZNAN, Poland - Environmentalists criticized the United States and other rich countries Tuesday for failing so far to make meaningful commitments at a U.N. conference on climate change.

However, he praised Brazil, which he said has “been progressive and has been pushing the boundaries.”

Brazil announced plans Monday to significantly slow the destruction of the Amazon rain forest by 2017. Scientists say that would reduce global warming by slashing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when trees are burned.

Story in it’s entirety at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28016904

Future of Mahogany / Cedrela Odorata (Spanish Cedar)

November 28, 2008 | Endangered Trees

In case you haven’t been keeping up, we have. As we’ve been forecasting and warning, a devastating blow to the guitar industry is at hand. Consider for a moment what it would mean to you if you were no longer able to buy Mahogany or Spanish Cedar. These two woods, for as long as there have been guitars, have been a mainstay for the construction of guitar necks. Most all high end traditional classical guitars have used spanish cedar for neck construction. Most all steel string guitar manufacturers have used mahogany or spanish cedar. Well, it seems the availability of these two most precious commodities is closer than ever to becoming unattainable. Read the rest of this entry »

Endangered Woods and the Instrument Industry

April 15, 2008 | Endangered Trees

As a former Guitar Maker, and working in the Music Industry for more than 25 years, I am more closely familiar with the types of woods used in Guitar Manufacturing than in any other industry. It’s that experience that started my venture into researching the current status of these endangered trees. Though I no longer build guitars, and I seem to have less and less free time to enjoy my passion for music, I still hold this industry close. In my former years as a guitar maker, it seemed most others in the industry were respectful to nature and reveered the gift of our natural resources. Most, at that time, were concerned with the impact we were having on the environment concerning the woods we used. Still holding on to those memories and perceptions, I recently attended a Guitar show in Miami Beach, Florida in hopes of reaching out to todays community of Luthiers (Instrument Makers) in hopes of gaining their interest and support for our Reforestation Project of Endangered trees. To put it mildly, I was very disappointed and suprisingly shocked by the overall lack of interest by those in this community. Read the rest of this entry »

Global Warming and Deforestation

April 3, 2008 | Deforestation

Recent scientific research has concluded the extreme importance of stopping deforestation and implementing Reforestation projects like ours to curtail the current trends of Global Warming. There are many people who don’t buy Global Warming theories. I believe it is because they haven’t been presented with the true facts that are available. Our government, the current Bush administration in particular, have been reviewing, editing and changing the true facts presented to them by the research scientists before releasing the findings to the general public and those in the government responsible for establishing our environmental policies. In essence, a cover up of the truth in order to manipulate environmental policy by the EPA. This has been proven by a 16 month investigation by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Read the rest of this entry »