Department of Environmental Conservation

Emeritus Professor

109 Holdsworth

Primary interests

Within our program I have responsibility for wood anatomy and fundamental properties of wood, as well as basic processing technology. My current research focuses on wood identification and wood-moisture relationships, especially as related to dimensional change in wood. These and other areas of interest are explored in my two books, Understanding Wood and Identifying Wood, published by the Taunton Press; I am also a contributing editor and technical consultant for Fine Woodworking Magazine. I teach an annual Wood Identification Workshop conducted through the Office of Continuing Education. As a professional consultant I have undertaken the identification of wood in furniture and related decorative art objects in several major museums throughout the United States. I also serve as a consulting forensic expert in civil and criminal cases involving wood products or wood related evidence.