Birch Bark and an alternative for reeds in the north

[Lavrov]

In the northern reaches of VS worlds, reeds aren't exactly easy pickings. As someone who usually makes worlds with the cool starting climate it always annoys me having to sometimes go 1-3k blocks south to naturally (excluding vessels) get reeds at all.

Thus, I propose birch bark, bark fibres and birch bark baskets being added to the game.

To obtain birch bark, you have to find logs with loose bark that work somewhat like resin: once you take the bark, it regenerates after a few days, making it a renewable resource and more in line with the reeds. Visually, the bark would be jutting out of the log and a slightly darker tinge than normal bark so it's easier to locate. You would need a knife of any tier to harvest it. (I am not sure about this part, I think it could do some work and or be replaced by something else)

Upon harvesting the loose bark, you receive 2-4 birch bark, with this birch bark you can craft a basket. The recipe structure is the same as the other baskets, needing 10 birch bark bits in a U shape. You would also be able to make birch bark chests, also having an identical recipe structure to the reed chest. 

To make it a true equal to the reeds, you can harvest the fibres of the bark to create ropes. With these fibres you would also be able to craft bandages.

Aside from storage and crafting utility, I think that you should also be able to make shoes out of  birch bark, known as bast shoes or lapti. These shoes would require 2 birch bark in two slots in the crafting grid like the straw sandals.

Objects made from birch bark have been made by various cultures around the world, from the Objibwe and to the Finns. I think it would also just be a nice addition to the game for diversity.

Images
1) Finnish birch bark basket
2) Birch shoes

Edited Tuesday at 09:40 PM by Lavrov
corrected a mistake in an item name, 'straw sandals,' and not 'dry grass sandals'

[reg8]

We're getting willows sometime soon. I assume those could be the colder temperate/subarctic climate replacement for reeds.

[Mac Mcleod]

I like it but would adjust one thing.

A basket maker in northern Minnesota reports that the outer bark takes about 8–10 years to regenerate, while a forestry review (that I can only see excepts of in duckduckgo- the original site is gone) documents second harvests after 10–20 years. 

Available Source: Birch Bark Beth  (but a search would probably turn up the forestry review too).

This would need to be gamified since trees grow crazy fast in VS (Something that should change).   But instead of a few game days, I'd recommend 12 months (like is used for berries).

[Zaph42nd]

Aside from being a replacement for reeds, I'd be interested to see birch bark also used for early-game writing/documenting since bark historically also served as a writing tablet material if clay is sparse.... It'd be a little less useful than say paper given the high cost and growing times, but not bad for when you need to quickly take a note in game before reaching the point of making paper (having flax production scaled up)

[Mac Mcleod]

6 hours ago, Zaph42nd said:

Aside from being a replacement for reeds, I'd be interested to see birch bark also used for early-game writing/documenting since bark historically also served as a writing tablet material if clay is sparse.... It'd be a little less useful than say paper given the high cost and growing times, but not bad for when you need to quickly take a note in game before reaching the point of making paper (having flax production scaled up)

Could be an alternative to papyrus for labeled crates.