The official definition of debarked wood:
“Irrespective of the type of treatment applied, wood packaging material must be made of debarked wood. For this standard, any number of visually separate and clearly distinct small pieces of bark may remain if they are: – less than 3 cm in width (regardless of the length) or – greater than 3 cm in width, with the total surface area of an individual piece of bark less than 50 square cm.” [per the 2009 Revised ISPM 15 Annex 1]
EXAMPLE 1
All six Pieces displayed are examples of debarked lumber.
Discussion [EXAMPLE1]
- [BOARD 1] Although this board has bark and vascular cambium, it is considered to be within the limitations of debarked lumber. The bark on this board has several close calls. There is non-continuous bark that is less than 3cm in width, and non-continuous bark that is wider than 3cm. Where the bark is wider than 3 cm, it is smaller than 50 square cm (fits under a credit card). PASS
- [BOARD 2] This board is very similar to #1. It has small non-continuous pieces of bark. None of the bark on this board measured wider than 3cm. PASS
- [BOARD 3] Two small strips of bark run along each of the top edges of this board. The strips are both less than 3cm wide. Because they less than 3cm wide, they could both run the whole length of the board and still pass as debarked. PASS
- [BOARD 4] There is no bark on this board. There is vascular cambium, which does not count as “bark”. PASS
- [BOARD 5] Similar to #3, this board has a thin strip of bark that is less than 3cm in width, so is considered to be “debarked”. PASS
- [BOARD 6] This board is BARK FREE. Because this board greatly surpasses the standard, it passes. PASS
EXAMPLE 2
The bark on the side of this board is larger than a credit card. This is not an example of debarked wood/lumber.
Discussion [EXAMPLE 2]
- This board has bark and vascular cambium exposed along its side. It is continuous down the entire side of the board, and measures greater than 3cm in width in most places. Because the bark is wider than 3cm in one or more places and does not fit under a credit card, this board would fail the debark test. FAIL
