Building a wood collection: a brief practical guide to collecting and documenting wood

Building a personal or educational xylotheque (a collection of wood samples) is an accessible and rewarding activity that helps document wood diversity, supports identification, and fosters a deeper understanding of trees and their uses. This article offers a practical guide to collecting, preparing, labelling, and storing wood specimens, with hands-on suggestions on finding materials, documenting them, and organising a functional and purposeful collection. It also encourages thematic approaches and provides resources for those interested in creating, expanding, or using their xylotheque for learning, research, or conservation.