Merbau is a species of tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to the Indo-Pacific. It stretches from Tanzania and Madagascar east through India and Queensland, Australia to the Pacific island of Samoa. It grows to about 50 meters (160 feet) tall with a very strong trunk. It inhabits mangrove swamps.
The tree has a variety of common names including itsiga ipil and kwila caterpillar. In the Philippines, it is also known in some fields as such.
The bark and leaves of the marbau are used in traditional medicine. Tree wood, called merbau or kwila, is a very durable and termite-resistant wood, making it a valuable material for flooring and other uses. Wood can also be used to extract a dye. The Merbau may contain golden vein, which is considered attractive by some.
Due to the extensive felling of the tree, it is endangered in many places in Southeast Asia, and almost extinct elsewhere. Large quantities were purchased for the 2008 Olympic Games venue in China, which is the largest importer of the timber. Wood is used for flooring in the U.S. and European markets where it is commonly sold under different names.
According to Greenpeace, large quantities of merbau timber come from illegal logging, especially imported into China, where there is laxity in import rules. Greenpeace targets users in Western countries in order to stop the trade in merbau timber. Greenpeace claims that at the current rate of logging the tree will become extinct in 35 years.
In New Zealand, where merbau wood is known as kwila, attempts have been made to stop it from being imported. In 2008 retailers were divided on whether the sale of kwila should be banned. Jim Anderton, who was the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry at the time, did not support the ban and instead left choice to the consumer.
Merbau is the official tree of the United States territory of Guam.
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Authors: Val
