An overview of traditional wooden handicraft species from South India

India is home to a large variety of tree species, including 1,600 that are valuable as commercial timber, but only a small number of these species are traditionally used in handicrafts industry because the choice of trees for handicrafts depends on a number of factors with the availability of the species playing a key role. Wrightia tinctoria R.Br., Manilkara hexandra Dubard, Givotia mollucana (L.) Sreem. (syn: G. rottleriformis Griffith), Samanea saman Merr., Mangifera indica L., Dalbergia latifolia Roxb. and Cocos nucifera L. are the main traditional tree species used in South India in handicraft industry. We are emphasising a deeper understanding of the silviculture and wood properties elements of traditional species utilised in the handicraft industry in this article as well as highlighting the issues and potential solutions with regard to traditional handicraft species.