How rare is yew?

[provins]

Yew trees are being harvested in America for a chemical found in the bark to make a drug used to treat cancer.

[alanesq]

That's even worse, we may be preventing a cancer cure being found by using all their trees ????

I read somewhere that a Yew tree for longbows needs to be over 100 years old. If this is the case then unless it is being harvested with very great care I fear it may be doing a lot of damage?

I don't know, I just want to find out before I consider buying some?

[Flying Whale]

Originally Posted by provins

Yew trees are being harvested in America for a chemical found in the bark to make a drug used to treat cancer.

If all they need is the bark, then surely that leaves the rest for us...

[cliveanne]

Originally Posted by alanesq

I was considering having a Yew warbow made but apart from the price, I was wondering about the ethical side of this?

i.e. Is yew for bows produced from sustainable sources etc. or are we wiping out all the old yew trees in other countries with our demand for it ?

Would goose do? Christmas is just around the corner

[alanesq]

Sorry, you have lost me there ???

unless its a failed attempt at an insult ?

[Toxopholist]

Funny how lightning strikes make it essential to urgently fell yew trees! Might just about be seasoned by the time you retire...

[Flying Whale]

Originally Posted by Toxopholist

Funny how lightning strikes make it essential to urgently fell yew trees! Might just about be seasoned by the time you retire...

Good to see you getting a chance to make an appearance...how's it going?

[ThePinkOne]

Yew as a tree is not uncommon in the UK.

However, yew wood for a warbow is a different thing.

Ideal wood for warbow is from a yew that has grown slowly in a dry climate surrounded by other trees. That way the wood is narrow rings and few knots.

In the days of Agincourt etc England imported yew staves for bows, from Italy and Spain. It was sort-of a form of VAT/import duty- like when casks of wine came in there was a number of bowstaves that had to come in too as tax. I think Henry VIII had an inspector in Italy/Spain to check quality before dispatch too.

There was a recent article in Bow International mag about Pip Bickerstaff sourcing some yew for warbows form the Italian mountains (where it is a protected soecies so limited harvest). From his account, the yew from there was very dense and the bow behaved differently. It's worth tracking down his article if you get chance, very interesting.

DarkHorse.