Riga Pine is a historic trade name for high-quality pine exported through the port of Riga from the Baltic region in the 17th century. Growing slowly in the cold climates of Northern Europe, these trees often lived for 150–200 years, producing dense wood with remarkably tight growth rings. Prized for shipbuilding, architecture, and furniture, old-growth Riga Pine became a symbol of quality, was traded across Europe and beyond, and played an important role in the maritime expansion of Northern Europe. Due to centuries of intensive harvesting, old-growth Riga Pine is now extremely rare and is most often recovered from historic buildings and demolitions.
Collected in 2021