Our Story

The mighty Chagres River has been a source of life for the Panamanian people for thousands of years. When it was dammed 100 years ago, it brought 2 worlds together, the Atlantic and the Pacific and created Lake Gatun.

After successfully logging a concession in Lake Gatun, CoastEcoTimber was presented with the opportunity to work with the 14 comarcas of the Kuna Madugandi Tribe. Lake Bayano was created in 1979 to supply water power to a hydroelectric plant; during the process, a 353 km² jungle of hardwoods was flooded. Recovering trees that would otherwise be lost decreases the need to log resources on land, allows for safer waterways for the tribes not to mention bringing a unique well preserved eco hardwood into the market place for those interested in green product.

Through innovative ideas and sustainable practices, CoastEcoTimber brings people closer to nature by harvesting selectively the “lost forests of Panama”. These trees, written off many years ago to create the world’s largest man-made lakes, CoastEcoTimber has found these exquisite hardwood logs and are carefully salvaging them to have their beauty rediscovered.

As we highly respect the surrounding environment, we utilize eco-friendly technology to harvest the logs, including submersible hydraulic chainsaws. Our extraction point has repurposed shipping containers for office space, sawdust compostable toilets, solar panels and our barges are made from recycled propane tanks. Each salvaged piece brought back from the waterbed has a story and character of its own and each piece bears the official international “green” stamp of approval from the Rainforest Alliance under its rediscovered wood certification program.

For eco-conscious architects, designers and furniture makers alike, this material opens up a unique opportunity to weave  history into their work in new and fascinating ways. Featured in a wide range of venues from remote ranches to resorts and commercial wineries, CoastEcoTimber also supplies one-of-a-kind pieces direct to a growing number of customers wishing to make sustainable and eco-friendly home décor choices.

 It is CoastEcoTimber’s dream to share the world’s most beautiful wood in an ecologically conscious way and we’ve finally recognized that dream. 

A wide variety of woods exist in this water region.  This technical document in Spanish and English show the characteristics of the woods available in this area.  Please click here to read the information.

From this underwater operation in Panama, CoastEcoTimber can now offer you the below species.

Please click here for images and specifications of Lake Bayano wood species available.

These woods are all FSC® rated and meet LEED-NC v 3.0 requirements. Here are the points available.

• Use of a minimum of 50% (based on cost) of FSC certified wood based materials and
  products will result in MR Credit 7 - 1 point.
• Use of a minimum of 20% building materials or products that have been harvested as well as manufactured within 500 miles of the project site will result in MR Credit 5 - 2 points.
• Use of a minimum of 10% salvaged materials based on cost of the total materials in the
  project will result in MR Credit 3 - 2 points.

By using certified rediscovered wood salvaged from Gatun or Bayano lakes in Panama within a 500 mile radius of the manufacturing facility in Chepo, a total of 5 LEED points can be produced.