Uses for Red Alder

History

• The Native Americans of the regions where red alder grows made extensive use of the tree in a plethora of ways, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The dried and ground bark became part of cooking recipes, while dyes created from the bark colored such items as blankets, moccasins and baskets. The sap helped to seal the seams of the canoes, making them waterproof. Extracts from the bark were of medicinal value, used to treat ailments from cholera to headaches.

Wood Products

• The wood of the red alder goes into the creation of such products as dishes, doors, cabinets, paneling and furniture. Smaller items like spools and brush handles come from the wood, reports the USA National Phenology Network. Tissue and writing paper come from the pulp and fiber of the red alder.

Value to Wildlife

• The native wildlife of the Pacific Northwest depends heavily upon the red alder for both food and shelter. The elk and deer of the region consume the buds, leaves and twigs, while beavers include the bark in their diets and utilize the branches to make their lodges and dams. Birds such as the goldfinch and redpoll gobble up the seeds. Other species nest in the red alder, while mammals such as the black-tailed deer use the tree for cover in cold weather.

Erosion Control

• Conservationists employ the red alder to re-establish forests decimated by forest fires. Red alder helps control and prevent erosion on hillsides, as well as in the areas along rivers and streams. The trees produce prodigious shade due to their leaves, and red alder generates a layer of leaf litter within the initial three to five years of its life, keeping soil erosion in check.