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Dive into the process behind TerraMai’s Water Reclaimed Wood

High-value tropical hardwoods are renowned across the globe for their exceptional beauty, durability, strength, and resistance to rot and insect attack. This has generated a huge market for illegal logging and deforestation. TerraMai has one of the only sustainable sources of some of the most coveted species of tropical hardwoods on the planet.

Water Reclamation

Decades ago, huge, ancient forests in Central and South America were flooded, creating reservoirs for water storage and power generation. Below these manmade lakes is an abundance of perfectly preserved tropical woods. TerraMai harvests these submerged giants alongside local communities. 

A massive tree, over 100 ft tall, rises above the surface of the reservoir. The portion of the tree exposed to the air will decay, but the immense trunk below the surface is perfectly preserved, thanks to the lack of oxygen. TerraMai image.

Expert divers are sent out in barges with specialized underwater harvesting tools, dive in, and reclaim the riches these flooded forests provide. 

Local experts bringing a tree to the surface of the reservoir. TerraMai image.

Water reclamation is an ecologically friendly alternative to obtaining tropical woods where no living trees are cut. The species TerraMai reclaims are Ipe, Angelique, and Rock Walnut. To know you are getting the most sustainably sourced, water reclaimed products, look for the Water Reclaimed badge below.

Look for our Water Reclaimed badge to find which tree species are ethically harvested with this method. 

Water Reclaimed Project Spotlight: Angelique in Modular Panel Square Slat

A warm example of TerraMai’s water reclaimed Angelique in the form of our Square Slat Modular Panels. Image courtesy of Virtuoso Interior Design.

For wood pulled from the depths of a flooded forest, TerraMai’s Angelique shines with cozy confidence in this residential installation in California. Virtuoso Interior Design created a beautiful accent wall for this home office using TerraMai’s Square Slat Modular Panels, backlit by lights and the natural warmth of wood. 

TerraMai’s Angelique is an exquisitely clean tropical hardwood with the toughness to take on the elements in graceful style. The standing submerged exotic trees are extracted to produce TerraMai’s Angelique Siding and Decking are incredibly free of knots and signs of surface character. And it’s naturally Class A fire resistant; making it a beautiful, sustainable, and smart selection.

Got a project coming up that Angelique (or any of our other water reclaimed woods) would be perfect for? You can find our incredible team of wood experts through this link to get the ball rolling. Want to get your hands on samples of Angelique (and other wood species)? We got you covered.


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