Wood Identification Research and Its Importance

Abstract

In order to understand the physical and chemical properties of specific pieces of lumber, it is essential to identify the type of tree it has come from. The most common way of doing this is by microscopic observation. In Japan, the study of wood anatomy has a history of 130 years. Over that period of time, the database of wood anatomical characteristics has grown, and it is now possible to identify wood from almost every type of tree harvested in Japan. However, with this kind of anatomical observation alone, it is often difficult to make positive identification down to the species level. For this reason, other techniques such as those using molecular DNA or chemical analyses are applied. Furthermore, for identifying the wood species of historically valuable wooden artifacts, non-invasive methods are more desirable. This report reviews the current identification methods as well as the ongoing research for identification technologies suited to the needs of contemporary society for combatting illegal logging, the promotion of wood self-sufficiency, and so on.