Digitization of the scientific wood collection (Xylothek)

The Thünen Institute of Wood Research with the integrated Thünen Competence Center for Wood Origin maintains one of the world's largest scientific wood collections. This comprises around 35,000 wood samples and around 50,000 microscopic specimens, which have been systematically collected and documented for over 100 years. The collections serve as documented reference material for the macroscopic and microscopic identification of internationally traded wood and wood products in order to provide reliable answers to the many questions “Which wood is this?” for the timber trade, authorities and consumers. These services are all the more important since the entry into force of the European Trade Regulation (EUTR) and the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has prohibited the placing on the market of timber or timber products from illegal logging and further important commercial tree species have been added to the list of CITES-protected timber in recent years. For the anatomical identification of the wood, microscopic sections are made of the samples to be examined. Under the light microscope, the woods can be compared and identified on the basis of approx. 20 to 40 anatomical structural features. These microscopic methods enable the reliable determination of solid wood down to wafer-thin veneer layers and fibrous materials.

The microscopic specimens of the scientific wood collection are an essential reference material that is to be made available for the development of digital databases within the framework of international cooperation and for external users for wood species control.