Wood is a very special material because it is incredibly flexible, can be very strong and supple (has both compression & tension strength)
+ if harvested correctly can be a renewable resource, including one that increases with use ...
Also, carpentry is one of the most portable skills & highly reccommended for anyone wishing to set up their own eco-business: carpenters are always in demand!
Carpentry requires & develops great design skills: orginality, problem-solving, clever use of tools & materials ...
eg.
Building a skyscraper? Forget about steel and concrete, says architect Michael Green, and build it out of ... wood. As he details in this intriguing talk, it's not only possible to build safe wooden structures up to 30 stories tall (and, he hopes, higher), it's necessary.