Large areas of mature coconut stems across the Pacific region are now unproductive and are a potential source of wood for high-value flooring and other products. Engineered coconut 'wood' could provide one solution to waning global timber resources while contributing significantly to local economies. Despite this, the stems are uneconomic to harvest until the wood properties are better understood and appropriate processing technologies are developed.
The ACIAR project ‘Improving value and marketability of coconut wood’ (The Cocowood Improvement Project) is providing the science to underpin coconut wood production, engineering and marketing initiatives and address gaps in our understanding of cocowood properties and suitable processing technologies.
The project will develop processing systems appropriate for producing high quality flooring using new approaches relevant to cocowood. These will be driven by a greater understanding of cocowood properties and the causes of post-harvest staining and aesthetic downgrade. The project will deliver training and guidelines for product standards, grading and quality control.
Project outcomes will have long term benefits by improving the manufacture and acceptance of coconut wood in the international, high value flooring market. Local business and communities will benefit from the development of appropriate technologies that contribute to sustainable, economic management of the cocowood resource in the Pacific region. The project runs from May 2007 to May 2010.
ACIAR project link
Project partners
Commissioning agency
- Australian Centre for International Research ACIAR
Partner agencies
- Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland (DPI&F) - Australian Commissioned Organisation
- Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) - Partner Countries Coordination
- Coconut Development Industry Development Authority (CIDA) - Partner Country Coordination, Fiji
- Ministry of Fisheries and Forests, Department of Forests, Fiji (MFF) - Partner Country Collaborating Organisation
- Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Meteorology, Forestry Division, Samoa - Partner Country Collaborating Organisation
- Strickland Brothers Ltd - Partner Country Coordination, Samoa
To learn more about the project’s collaborating institutions and people read About us.