Chacte-kok
This is a tree common to the southern Yucutan Peninsula in Mexico. It is a small to medium sized tree growing up to 50 feet tall. When the tree is first cut the wood is a yellowish brown but left sitting it soon develops a deep blood red color. It is a shame that the color of the heartwood does not remain this deep red with darker speckles and stripes, but prolonged exposure to sunlight eventually bleaches the color. The wood is medium hard and heavy and has a fine texture. Logs are often poorly shaped, so wide, long boards are scarce. Chacte-kok is easy to season and dry and presents no problems in cutting, milling, or turning.
The Mexican government and several local communities in the state of Quintana Roo are cooperating to stave off the rapid destruction of the rainforest that produces Chacte-kok. In so doing, several forestry cooperatives have been formed in the southern part of the Yucutan Peninsula. They have been designed to harvest trees on a sustained yield basis, with an emphasis on low impact harvesting and reforestation.