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Wood

Fibrous material from trees or other plants

Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. Being a natural material, it is characterized as an organic material – a natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin and hemicelluloses that resists compression. Wood is sometimes defined as only the secondary xylem in the stems of trees, or more broadly to include the same type of tissue elsewhere, such as in the roots of trees or shrubs. In a living tree, it performs a mechanical-support function, enabling woody plants to grow large or to stand up by themselves. It also conveys water and nutrients among the leaves, other growing tissues, and the roots. Wood may also refer to other plant materials with comparable properties, and to material engineered from wood, woodchips, or fibers. Wood has been used by humans since prehistoric times for fuel, tools, weapons, and shelter, and later as a construction material and for making furniture, paper, and other products. Its use predates recorded history, with early humans exploiting branches, poles, and logs for simple tools, hunting weapons, shelters, and firewood. More recently, wood has also emerged as a feedstock for the production of purified cellulose and its derivatives, including, among many others, cellophane and cellulose acetate. As of 2025, the growing stock of forests worldwide was about 630 billion cubic metres. As an abundant, carbon-neutral renewable resource, woody materials have been of intense interest as a source of renewable energy. In 2023, almost 4 billion cubic meters of wood were harvested. Dominant uses were for furniture and building construction. Wood is scientifically studied through the discipline of wood science, which emerged as a distinct field of study in the early 20th century.