AHEC Highlights American Hardwoods Sustainability And Forest Stewardship At “3 Days Of Design” In Copenhagen
Visitors were invited to sign up for dedicated ‘Forest Tours’ – a series of guided exhibition walkthroughs hosted by AHEC’s Environmental Policy Director Rupert Oliver and European Director David Venables (pictured). All CPH Photography by Petra KrejcÍ
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) Europe’s Wood for the Trees was a thought-provoking and immersive installation launched at “3 Days of Design 2026” in Copenhagen this summer. Presented in the historic Gammel Dok building, the exhibition shifted the conversation beyond just final outcome to explore the wider environmental systems that support sustainable hardwood production. Developed in collaboration with London-based design studio Mitre & Mondays and leading British furniture makers Benchmark, the project invited visitors to experience the journey of a hardwood tree from seed to finished product, highlighting the vital role that responsible forest management plays in the future of sustainable design.
Over the three days of the prestigious festival, AHEC engaged designers, architects, trade, educators and media in conversations about the relationship between material choice and forest stewardship. Building on themes explored in AHEC’s documentary Forested Future the exhibition demonstrated how specifying a diverse range of American hardwood species and grades–selected according to forest abundance rather than market trends–helps support long-term forest health, biodiversity and carbon storage.
AHEC Europe’s Wood for the Trees was an immersive installation launched at “3 Days of Design 2026” in Copenhagen and presented in the historic Gammel Dok building.
Wood for the Trees transformed the exhibition space into an abstract woodland landscape. Visitors journeyed through five key stages: Growth, Stewardship, Selection, Resilience and Timber Production, each exploring a different aspect of hardwood forestry and responsible resource management. Through a combination of educational storytelling, material displays and sensory elements, the exhibition revealed the often-unseen processes that underpin the production of sustainable hardwood timber.
The exhibition was brought to life through a series of beautifully designed elements constructed from Red Oak, Cherry, Hard Maple and Yellow Birch all in No.1 Common grade. Rotating timber trunks, felled log-inspired seating and a suspended veneer canopy created an epic and tactile environment that immersed visitors in the story of the forest.
Throughout the festival, AHEC and its project partners hosted a program of public-facing activities designed to deepen engagement with the exhibition’s themes. Visitors were invited to sign up for dedicated ‘Forest Tours’ – a series of guided exhibition walkthroughs hosted by AHEC’s Environmental Policy Director Rupert Oliver and European Director David Venables, followed by a timber sphere-oiling workshop offering hands-on interaction with American hardwoods.
The exhibition was brought to life through a series of beautifully designed elements constructed from Red Oak, Cherry, Hard Maple and Yellow Birch all in No.1 Common grade.
AHEC also welcomed an international group of journalists, editors and industry influencers to experience the exhibition firsthand.
With sustainability continuing to dominate conversations across the design industry, Wood for the Trees successfully broadened awareness of the role American hardwoods can play in supporting healthy forest ecosystems. The exhibition and conversations surrounding it stressed that responsible material specification begins long before a product is designed and that understanding the story of the forest is essential to understanding the value of the timber it produces.
Learn more at ahec.org.
