Salvaged Wood

Campus Grown

University of California, Davis
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616

(530) 752-6741

Welcome to the Salvaged Wood Page

Every UC Davis Campus Grown wood bowl, utensil, vase or cutting board is a one-of-a-kind work of art skillfully created by artisans experienced in the traditional craft of woodturning. Each piece is salvaged from campus grown trees that required rigorous pruning or removal for health or safety reasons.

All products are available for purchase through the UC Davis Bookstore website.

Products

	About ash wood Ash wood is the hardest of all the woods we have available and is the type of wood used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, and tool handles. The wood is a light sandy color with a medium brown straight grain that offers no significant odor or taste making it a great material for bowls and other high-end, functional kitchen products. The ash wood used for these products was salvaged from Modesto ash trees near Solano Park. See the map.
	About Casuarina wood Commonly known as she-oak, ironwood, beefwood, or whistling-pine, Casuarina is native to tropical or subtropical climates, namely southeast Asia and the islands of the western Pacific Ocean. The wood is hard and highly sought-after for specialty woodcrafting and furniture. This bowl was made from Casuarina wood found in the Arboretum.
	About claro walnut wood Claro walnut is another name for Northern California walnut and is native to an area starting around Fresno and reaching up to the bay area. The wood is a rich deep brown with a dark grain that can be both straight or marbled. The wood used for these products was salvaged from trees at the corner of California Street and La Rue Avenue. See the map.
	About cork oak wood The cork oak trees were planted on campus in response to a national crisis in 1942 due to a cork shortage during World War II. The cork was used in life vests for sailors and airmen. There are about 400 cork oak trees on campus. The beautiful bowls turned by Barry showcase the layers of the tree, including the cork bark, which he seals with a special type of glue to preserve the otherwise fragile material. The cork oak used for these products was salvaged from four large limbs trimmed from a tree near Parking Lot 56. See the map.
	About juniper wood Juniper wood is known for being fragrant, durable and rot-resistant, and is often used to line closets as it repels moths. The wood is fine-grained and soft, and beautiful hues of reds, deep browns and pinks which makes it a fine choice for decorative pieces. Most of the juniper trees on campus were planted in the 1950s and 60s, and can be found near Chem 194 and Haring Hall. The main variety found on the UC Davis campus is the Hollywood juniper, which is named for its popularity in Los Angeles gardens and has deep green foliage and branches that are often twisted, giving it a rustic and unique appearance.
	about locust wood The locust wood used for this particular set of bowls was taken from a honey locust tree on campus that blew down over the bike path at the southwest corner of Pedrick and Russell Boulevard. Honey locust wood is a very high quality wood that polishes well and is durable. To see more honey locusts on campus head to the Sprocket bike lane on the north side of Hoagland Hall.
	About olive wood UC Davis has always been famous for its heritage olive trees around campus, and gained even more fame with the advent of the Olive Oil Program in 2005. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa and thus are not as common in the United States as they were not introduced here until the 18th century, and only in California. The olive wood used for these products was salvaged from an olive tree that was removed near Mrak Hall drive. See the map.
	About ornamental pear wood Ornamental pear trees can be found all over campus as well as in the city of Davis. They are notable for their vibrant white blossoms in the spring and deep red color in the fall. Known for its fine texture, wood from the genus Pyrus is used for making woodwind instruments, and is also prized for making high-quality furniture.
	About parkinsonia wood A hard and heavy wood, parkinsonia is named for the botanist John Parkinson and is native to semi-desert regions in Africa and the Americas. It is also referred to as the palo verde. The wood used for the bowls found here was taken from the Arboretum.
	About sweet gum wood This particular product was made from the liquidambar variety of the sweetgum tree, and the trees are rare on campus, numbering only around 10. Sweet gums are well-known for the spiky round seedpods and their brilliant fall color. The sweetgum wood is smooth and light-colored with with a subtle pink tint.