Heartwood - architecture for the birds
Heartwood, located in Star, Mississippi, is not only dedicated to providing you with beautiful birdhouses, but they have also made a commitment to our environment. Heartwood doesn't cut corners and they don't cut trees - EVER!
They keep their carbon footprint small and guarantee all paint and materials are 100% safe for wildlife.
What makes Heartwood different?
Most birdhouses are constructed from western red cedar or eastern white pine, much of which must be cut and hauled from Canada, thousands of miles away. But Heartwood is "wood wise." Their manufacturing process utilizes short pieces of cypress and mahogany that would otherwise be discarded or used to fire kilns. Their lumber suppliers are within a 2-hour drive, thus providing jobs here at home and keeping their carbon footprint minimal.
Heartwood cypress: FSC certified natural wonder
In addition to boasting a beautiful grain and coloring, cypress is naturally rot and decay-resistant, as well as naturally regenerating. When a tree is harvested, the stump automatically regenerates a new sapling; saplings also sprout from the root system of a healthy adult tree. While this helps protect cypress from over cutting, Heartwood takes the extra step of purchasing only cypress that has been harvested in accordance wit FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) guidelines. More importantly, they only use pieces of lumber 4 to 6 ft long, which would otheriwse be chipped and burned. These pieces are all kiln-dried and NHLA inspected and certified.
Guilt-free mahogany
Everyone appreciates the beauty and durability of mahogany, but behind that beauty is an impossible standard of perfection; normal manufacturing requires that 16 ft boards be completely free of defects. That means a lot of rejects, which in turn meant an opportunity for Heartwood. Today Heartwood mahogany homes are the only mahogany birdhouses in the world, yet they did not cut a single tree!
Green even when grey
Heartwood paint is 100% acrylic latex, which is completely non-toxic. By using local paint store's stock of mis-tinted paint to create their own medium gray, the color that results naturally from mixing all colors together, they are recycling and ensuring an eco-friendly environment.
Nothing goes to waste
Working with local box factories, Heartwood is able to use box over-runs made from post consumer fiber rather than having new boxes manufactured. While this means a lawnmower ad may cover one side of the Heartwood box, we think customers appreciate the savings in costs and trees.