More than 70 tree species used to make popular musical instruments are at risk of going extinct, according the conservation group Fauna and Flora International, which has launched a new program to help preserve the trees. Species in trouble include the African blackwood, used for making clarinets and oboes; Brazil’s pau brasil, used to make violin bows; and mahagonies and Brazilian and Indian rosewoods, which are widely sought for use in guitars. FFI is working to develop sustainable harvest plans for various tree species, and the group is encouraging the millions of people who buy musical instruments each year to make sure they are made with wood that is certified as sustainably harvested.
