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The use of Southern Pine lumber for aquatic and wetland service includes a wide range of residential and commercial applications such as docks, piers, marinas, bulkheads, boardwalks and light vehicular bridges.

These systems are exposed to especially harsh environmental conditions; therefore, accurate specification of lumber, timbers and fastening hardware is critical to achieve proper performance and serviceability.

Industry quality control standards for the manufacture and preservation of Southern Pine ensure long-term performance and minimize environmental impact. Advances in preservative treatments, modern design and construction techniques, and sustainable forestry management make Southern Pine a cost-effective, ecologically sound and renewable construction material.

Southern Pine provides a warm, natural look that blends beautifully with the surrounding landscape. To meet today’s environmental requirements, designers often span wetland areas with timber bridges and elevated wood boardwalks. Nature trails also lend themselves to timber walkways, providing unrestricted access to rest stops and interpretation stations overlooking impressive vistas. Elevated walkways also provide an environmentally benign alternative to visitor paths paved with asphalt or concrete in zoos and nature centers while blending with the habitat and protecting natural terrain.

The Great Atlantic City boardwalk was
built with preservative treated Southern
Pine in 1867.

Golf courses around the country are experiencing success by incorporating paths and bridges made of preservative treated Southern Pine. Timber cart paths appeal to club developers because their natural look blends with the surroundings and eliminates the need for fill, making environmental permitting an easier process.

The potential impact of using treated wood in aquatic environments was the focus of close scientific study in the 1990s. Various government agencies, universities and the wood treating industry launched extensive efforts to understand the potential effects. This continuing work has produced a substantive base of knowledge about the behavior of treated wood and the level of risk it represents. A worldwide review failed to find a single case where appropriately produced, specified and installed treated wood products resulted in a significant adverse environmental impact. Studies of treated wood in the most sensitive aquatic environments have shown that the associated risks are small and easily manageable.

Elevated walkways are an excellent alternative to wetland filling and the associated negative environmental impacts. Meandering elevated walkways through forests, wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves offer pedestrians and cyclists opportunities to view environmentally sensitive areas from a new perspective, while minimizing impact on the ecosystem. Timber walkways adapt and blend into sensitive surroundings because of their versatility, flexibility and relative ease of construction.

Pedestrian bridges and walkways also lend themselves to an aesthetically pleasing park or recreation area when used over retention ponds, drainage ditches or naturally occurring wetlands. In downtown development projects, timber provides excellent pathways for sightseeing and walking through historical areas, especially when situated near the waterfront.

Wood has been the marine construction material of choice ever since man launched his first boat, and since the advent of modern wood preservation, Southern Pine has been America’s preferred aquatic construction material.

When exposed to the often severe buffeting of wind and waves, the flexibility of wood can yield superior resistance as compared to rigid construction materials. In addition, wood cannot rust, will not corrode, and doesn't spall (flake) like steel. In the event structural damage does occur, wood can usually be repaired in a more efficient and less costly way than other construction materials. And repairs can be made in all kinds of weather, in both wet and dry environments, often using nothing more complicated than ordinary carpentry tools.