Bradford Pear

European Pear is, as noted previously, mostly used as a veneer, but it also finds application as: architectural millwork, marquetry, inlay, carving, musical instruments, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects.

In my experience, Bradford Pear is used only for craft purposes including the making of fine turned objects such as pens, bowls, spice mills, duck calls, and perhaps for carved items such as gun and knife grips.

Sustainability

Bradford Pear is not listed as being in any way threatened or endangered by the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices nor does it appear on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

To the best of my knowledge, Bradford Pear is not subject to any special restrictions by any United States government agency.

I realize that inherent in working with wood is the killing of a part of the natural world that may be slow to return and if I become deeply concerned about this fact, I will have to find a new hobby.  I hope that such a time does not come to pass or at least not any time soon.  In part because I am concerned about legally and responsibly obtained wood, I am reluctant to buy from sellers outside of well-established and known vendors.  I am highly unlikely, for example, to purchase any wood from auction sites, such as Ebay, because of uncertain sourcing and documentation, as well as the potential, even likelihood, of material being misidentified in order to achieve a higher selling price.

However, due to the commercial scarcity of some domestic woods, resorting to auction sites such as Ebay or Etsy may be the only way to obtain some desirable domestic, or in some cases exotic imported, species that are not routinely commercially harvested.  The potential risks of buying in these marketplaces have to be balanced against the desire to work with a specific species of wood.  That is inherently an individual decision.

I also realize that many, if not most, wood workers do not have endangered species lists memorized, therefore I think it worthwhile and important to do even a small amount of research before purchasing any lumber, domestic as well as imported, to be certain of the potential impact you are having, even in a small way, on threatened or endangered populations.  This information is easy to come by and takes only minutes to locate through any Internet search engine, including those you can access on your phone as you are standing in the lumber yard or store.  Unfortunately, you simply cannot count on a vendor to tell you a product they are selling is endangered.

In the specific case of Bradford Pear, given its invasive nature and propensity to spread, utilizing the wood for craft purposes might prove to be a service to the natural world.

Health Hazards

No specific adverse health reactions have been noted with or attributed to Bradford Pear or European Pear.

However, the long-term negative effects of exposure to sawdust of any species are well documented.

It is important to remember that although many people may, or may not, be sensitive to any given wood the only experience that truly counts is your own, so use reported side effects as guidance but not as a substitute for cautious and safe practices.  Despite a lack of reported major health effects, turning a bowl blank of Timborana (Piptadenia spp.) almost killed me through immediate respiratory distress followed by a multiple week long illness, and my father experienced a violent skin reaction to Australian Silky Oak (Cardwellia sublimis or Grevillea robusta) so caution is ALWAYS warranted.