The objective of the program is to catalyze the development of boron as an environmentally acceptable chemical treatment and improve process technology to produce a boron-treated lumber product. There is a need for low environmental impact wood preservatives, particularly for the residential market. Although the hazards associated with treated wood may be negligible, the public perception of potential hazards may be sufficient to proscribe the future use of the present preservatives. Boron is an environmentally benign preservative which has been used for many years in New Zealand and Australia and has started to be used in the U.S.A. but is not yet used in Canada. There is a potential market for termite-proof wood for southern Ontario and boron promises to be a suitable candidate. Opportunities also exist in overseas markets for boron treated lumber provided that a rapid and cost effective diffusion process can be developed. Western softwoods, which are naturally wet species, particularly lend themselves to diffusion treatments with boron. Despite there being a good body of scientific literature available on borate treatment of wood there is a lack of basic technical knowledge on borate treatment of Canadian woods. This project seeks to address this need.