Desirable Attributes

- Natural wood requiring no preservation treatment
- Substantially higher mechanical strength (Fiber Strength)
- Higher field lives
- Resistance to moisture absorption
- High resistance to rot
- High resistance to termites and wood peckers
- High flame resistance
- High resistance to current flow – high dielectrics
- No disposal issues
- Very high salvage value
- No additional warehousing requirements
- No new hardware, equipment and tools requirements
- No requirement for new training
- No changes in the field work and installation practices
- Lower life-cycle cost than the treated wood poles and cross arms
- Others…

Helping the Environment (Potential CO2 Credits)

There is one other significant environmental benefit the tropical hardwoods from sustainable managed forests offer, and that is potential CO2 Credits for the responsibly produced tropical hardwood poles. There are three methods of achieving CO2 credits;

1- Potential CO2 Credits Assigned for Every Tree Cut for Pole Production

Logging via the Sustainable Forest Management practice follows the Low Impact Logging process, which means the ecosystems and habitat of the forests will be preserved. More importantly 5 to 10 trees will grow in the place of the tree that was harvested for the pole. This means a net gain of trees growing in the Amazon Forest. Because of this practice, the Government will issue carbon credits for every tropical hardwood pole and cross arms derived from the sustainable managed forests. It is common knowledge that new growing trees consume CO2 via photosynthesis, therefore eliminating CO2 from the atmosphere and not allowing it to become part of the GHG. In short the Government will certify that each pole will receive carbon credits because at a minimum 5 trees will grow in the place of the single tree harvested for the pole.

2- Potential CO2 Credits Derived via the Carbon Sequestration Program

The current depletion rate of the Amazon Rain forest will effectively have consumed approximately 40% of the Amazonian Rain Forest in 30 years. Supporting sustainable forest management will help curtail forest devastation. The total envisioned CO2 Sequestration in the State of Amazon is estimated at 67 billion CO2 Tons, derived from the depletion rate of the rain forest stated above.

We have an opportunity to, in collaboration with the State of Amazon, to support vast areas of the rain forest, by establishing sustainable forest management programs to produce the poles and cross arms and avert the forest destruction, because now the timber in the managed forests will have economic value and the region will benefit from the responsible operation.

3- Potential CO2 Credits for Reforestation Programs

There are many devastated areas that could benefit from reforestation programs. Therefore one of the programs for achieving CO2 credits could be reforestation.

New All Natural Hardwood Poles and Crossarms ANSI Standards

The ANSI Board of Standards Review formally approved the new standard on naturally durable hardwoods for poles and crossarms. The new standard titled “ANSI 05.4 – All Natural Durable Hardwoods Pole Standard – Dimensions & Specifications” was published in September 2009. The ANSI Board of Standards Review approved the “ANSI O5.6 – All Natural Durable Hardwoods Crossarms & Braces” on October 2010.