At present the public sector is responsible for 40% of timber and wood based products purchased in the UK. Therefore the potential influence of the consumer market on the world’s forests is enormous and more people every year are looking to sustainable sources for timber based products like wood flooring.
Concerns about deforestation and climate change mean that the environment remains high on the news agenda. More than ever before consumers, public authorities and those charged with corporate procurement decisions are increasingly seeking assurances regarding the environmental provenance of the products they buy. Organisations such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) that are dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests allow consumers to identify, purchase and use timber and other forest products from well managed forests. Meaning consumers can buy with a clear conscience that timber is produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.
The FSC runs a global forest certification system with two key components; Forest Management and Chain of Custody Certification. The Forest Management certification involves a rigorous annual audit of every certificate holder by independent FSC accredited Certification Bodies to ensure the forest complies with internationally recognised Principles and Criteria of Responsible Forest Management. Certified forests must comply with FSC rules and make changes to comply with relevant FSC requirements. In order to gain FSC certification, it must be proved that the forest is well managed and meets the strict principles and criteria laid out.
At the international level, FSC has developed its set of principles and criteria of sound forest management. They apply to all forests, temperate, tropical and boreal, natural forests and plantations. Requirements include compliance with national legislation, respect for local use rights, maintenance of the ecological functions of the forest and its biodiversity, economic viability, and the need for an adequate management plan and monitoring of operations. To take local conditions into account FSC encourages the development of national standards of forest management in each country or region which interpret the international Principles and Criteria. Through these the FSC has a direct and permanent positive impact on the world’s forests and the people living in and around the forests.
The Chain of Custody certification verifies that the timber in a product is from a certified forest, reclaimed or other controlled source. As with forests, the Chain of Custody is audited by independent FSC accredited Certification Bodies. Every link in the supply chain from forest to final product needs its own Chain of Custody certificate (though retailers who do not alter the product in any way, including repackaging, may not require their own certificate). Each certificate has a unique number and this number must appear on product labels or invoices, this allows you to identify the supplier and check their certification status.
The FSC work to protect the world’s forest environments. Every year an area half the size of the UK is cleared of it’s natural forests: temperate and tropical, North and South and on every continent. These forests, which once covered half of the planet, are irreplaceable and their loss has profound economic, social and environmental impacts. Therefore it is of the up most importance that harvested trees and replaced and allowed to regenerate naturally, protecting the rare animals and plants within the ecosystem that would otherwise be lost in the process of deforestation. The FSC is highly selective about it’s harvesting patterns, only 3-4 trees per hectare are harvested once every 25 years. The trees are felled in a careful and professional manner so little damage is caused to neighbouring trees or young growth so that regeneration of the forest is not hindered and the ecosystems are damaged as little as possible.
The FSC also works to protect the rights of indigenous people. Forests contribute to the livelihoods of some 1.6 billion people worldwide, this includes 60 million indigenous people who are fully dependent upon the forests and an additional 350 million who depend on them primarily for income and subsidence. The FSC by using local people to run the forests provide them with training and future skills. The forest owner must use local workers to run the forest, and provide training, safety equipment and a decent salary. The forest owner is often obliged to support the community in other ways, such as through the development of schools. FSC is a market-based initiative which also ensures better conditions for the forest and the people whose livelihoods depend on it. Therefore the FSC gives an assurance that future generations will be able to enjoy the benefits of the forest.
The FSC and PEFC believe that although logging is seen to be one of the main threats to forests, timber trade may actually be one of the most effective ways of safeguarding the forests for future generations, as long as it is done in a responsible manner, as trade gives the forest an economic value. The FSC enables the forest managers to get a higher price for their timber, allowing them to compete with pressures from other land users and the artificially low prices caused by predatory and illegal logging. Illegal logging and the international trade in illegally logged timber is a major problem for many timber, including wooden floors, producing countries in the developing world. It causes environmental damage, costs governments billions of dollars in lost revenue, promotes corruption, undermines the rule of law and good governance and funds armed conflict. It retards sustainable development in some of the poorest countries of the world. Consumer countries contribute to these problems by importing timber and wood products without ensuring that they are legally sourced. In recent years, however, producer and consumer countries alike have paid increasing attention to illegal logging. The work of the FSC and the PEFC seek to increase awareness of the damaging effects of illegal log trade and promote timber sourced from sustainable, recognised sources.
The principles the the FSC and PEFC stand for promote the belief that purchasers can change the way that we harvest our resources and that consumers can shop with a conscience and retain principles that guarantee opportunities for indigenous people, economic viability, environmental sustainability and preserve sustainability. Demanding that good care is taken of the forests in the long term, so that the forests are left in better condition than when the harvesting began, sustaining them for future generations.
