Sustainability

Sustainability is one of the major beliefs that Kohinoor Industries holds in our vision to create a self sufficient source of value and employment within the borders of our own nation. 


Uttis (Alnus Nepalensis)
The plywood is made from Uttis (Alnus Nepalensis), a large alder tree found in the subtropical highlands of the himalayas. The main use of this wood in Nepalese society is as firewood and to make charcoal. It is a fast growing soft wood that is abundant in all geographical areas of our nation. Because of it’s soft nature, humans do not have much use for this tree other than as firewood so, it remains an underutilized and abundant source of value within the borders of our country. It is also categorized as a species of ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to it’s natural abundance. Due to it’s fast growing nature, with a tree growing from germination to maturity in 10 years, it can act as an effective alternative to endangered species of hard woods cut down for construction purposes (especially in the Himalayan Region) which may take centuries to grow. Although it is a soft wood unfit for construction in it’s natural state, when turned into plywood, it gains immense value. Uttis has an even grain, seasons fairly well, and is easy to saw and finish by hand or machine. The wood preserves well, and it’s tendency to resist insects due to it’s low nutritional value makes it an ideal candidate for a sustainable construction material.

IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book), founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. It uses a set of precise criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies. These criteria are relevant to all species and all regions of the world. With its strong scientific base, the IUCN Red List is recognized as the most authoritative guide to the status of biological diversity. 
Alnus Nepalensis, or Uttis falls under the ‘least concerned’ category of this list. A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. They do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or conservation dependent. This is because the Uttis tree is found in abundance and is not preferred by insects for consumption, and even humans can only use this tree for firewood and charcoal because of it’s soft wood. This tree can tolerate various environmental conditions and grows well in almost all geographical regions of Nepal. You can learn more about sustainability in this interview with our chairman published by Kasthamandap Television. Kasthamandap Interview.