GOOD WOOD GUIDE Use this guide to help you specify timber from environmentally and socially responsible forestry and to avoid timber that is the product of illegal or destructive logging practices in ancient forest areas. FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC) EXAMPLES OF COMMONLY CERTIFICATION FSC-CERTIFIED SPECIES, COMMON USES Insist on timber products from well-managed sources. Specifying FSC pine minimises the risk of the timber Choose timber bearing the FSC label to ensure that it FSC Pine originating from old-growth forests, poorly managed These are comes from forests or plantations that have been Pinus spp. plantations or illegal logging operations. just a few responsibly managed according to strong environmental examples of and social criteria. Marine construction, heavy construction, FSC-certified light construction, interior construction, species, and FSC principles are strict and closely monitored: they ensure panel products, furniture more are that natural forests are conserved, that endangered species listed below. and their habitats are protected, and that forest workers Can be used as an alternative to spruce and pine, The choice and forest-dependent communities are respected. The FSC Larch and, in some cases, offers an alternative to tropical of suitable FSC also has a rigorous chain of custody, tracking timber Larix spp. hardwoods. from the forest to the end user. Other schemes, such as (European Larch, Larix decidua) alternatives PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest will depend Certification schemes), have been created and funded Marine construction, heavy construction, on intended by the forestry industry. Standards are weak and vary interior construction, panel products, furniture use and significantly. Avoid these schemes wherever you can. availability. Very strong and durable tropical hardwood, with high Always check In contrast, the FSC enjoys broad support from FSC Jatoba shock resistance. Suitable for a range of exterior uses with Trada or Hymenaea courbaril conservation groups, indigenous communities and forest and flooring. progressive product buyers. The FSC gives equal decision-making rights to economic, social and environmental interests Marine construction, heavy construction, timber traders in its governing structure and standard-setting process. light construction, interior construction, furniture before selecting an In the past, it was difficult to find FSC-certified material. alternative This situation is changing rapidly. There are now over 2,000 FSC softwood plywood, along with FSC OSB and MDF, FSC timber FSC-certified companies worldwide. Over 45 million FSC panel products should be considered as an alternative to tropical to fit your hectares of forest have been certified, in 69 countries Blockboard, chipboard, hardboard, MDF, hardwood plywoods. The majority of tropical intended use. across five continents. To find out more about the FSC, OSB, plywood hardwood plywood imported into the UK originates in what products and species are available in FSC-certified the last ancient forests of Indonesia, Malaysia or the form and where you can buy them, please refer to Light construction, interior construction, Brazilian Amazon. www.fsc-uk.info panel products, furniture REGIONAL INFORMATION SPECIES SPECIFIC CONCERNS EXAMPLES OF FSC COMMON USES ALTERNATIVES European timbers More controversial areas for sourcing ash include Most of Europe’s ancient forests have already been Ash Romania and Bulgaria where there are high rates of FSC Ash destroyed, and the timber industry relies heavily on Fraxinus spp. illegal logging. plantations and secondary forests. This means there is a (European Ash, Fraxinus excelsior) lower risk of timber coming from ancient forest destruction than with the species listed in the red section of this Interior construction, furniture guide. However, what ancient forest remains is under threat from logging operations and caution is needed if timber is not FSC-certified. Boreal forests are particularly Beech imports to the UK from Romania and Poland at risk, in countries such as Finland, Norway and Russia, Beech could be linked to ancient forest destruction. Imports FSC Beech where the survival of numerous species (including the Fagus spp. are also common from France where PEFC, the flying squirrel and the eagle owl) is in the balance. (European Beech, Fagus sylvatica) industry certification standard, is particularly weak. Indigenous communities also continue to be affected by Marine construction, heavy construction, forestry operations. For example, the Sámi communities in interior construction, panel products, furniture parts of northern Finland rely on reindeer herding, a livelihood threatened by logging in ancient forests. In Birch from Russia, the north of Finland and parts of addition, illegal logging is a serious problem in Russia and Birch Norway could be linked to ancient forest destruction, FSC Birch some Central and Eastern European countries, including Betula spp. though timber from Finland and Norway will still carry a Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia and Estonia. PEFC certificate. Illegal logging is widespread in Russia, Interior construction, panel products, furniture Estonia and Latvia, which commonly supply the UK. Plantation timbers Whilst buying timber from European non-FSC plantations does not directly contribute to the destruction of ancient forests, plantations can have negative environmental Douglas fir comes from managed plantations across impacts, including damage to soil fertility and water Douglas Fir Europe or from destructive logging in North America’s FSC Douglas quality, and may offer habitat to a relatively small number Pseudotsuga menziesii coastal temperate rainforests. Avoid sourcing from Fir of species. Non-European plantation timber carries all the Canada if you cannot get FSC supplies and if the supplier same environmental risks; in addition, there is serious risk Marine construction, heavy construction, is not working with environmental groups to improve that the timber will be linked to negative social issues interior construction, panel products, furniture practices (see www.savethegreatbear.org/ such as land conflict with indigenous peoples. In contrast, 4pages/aboutus/aboutus.htm for suppliers list). FSC plantation design supports biodiversity conservation, and the scale and layout attempt to mimic natural European larch has been planted throughout Europe, forest patterns. Larch but larch from Siberia (usually Siberian larch, Larix FSC Larch Larix spp. sibirica) or Canada (American larch, Larix laricina) is (European Larch, Larix decidua) often the product of ancient forest destruction. Marine construction, heavy construction, interior construction, panel products, furniture Caution is advised regarding oak originating from Oak Poland, Russia and Ukraine, due to links with ancient FSC Oak Quercus spp. forest destruction and illegal logging. Oak imported into the UK can also be sourced from Estonia, where Marine construction, heavy construction, illegal logging is widespread, and France, where the light construction, interior construction, furniture industry-backed PEFC certification standard is particularly weak. North American timbers Pine from Russia, the north of Finland and parts of Very little North American timber comes from plantations. Pine Norway could be linked to ancient forest destruction, FSC Pine Non-FSC timber from North American forests can come Pinus spp. though timber from Finland and Norway will still from ancient forests, and is often certified by the weak carry a PEFC certificate. Imports to the UK can also SFI or CSA certification schemes. The remaining ancient Marine construction, heavy construction, come from Latvia and Estonia where illegal logging forests of North America include the boreal forest belt light construction, interior construction, is widespread. stretching between Newfoundland and Alaska, while some panel products, furniture of the only large, intact tracts of temperate rainforest in the world, known as the Great Bear Rainforest, are found Spruce from Russia, the north of Finland and parts of along the coast of British Columbia in western Canada. Spruce Norway could be linked to ancient forest destruction, FSC Spruce This is a region of rich biological diversity and home to a Picea spp. though timber from Finland and Norway will still FSC Siberian wide range of endangered species. For information on (Norway Spruce, Picea abies) carry a PEFC certificate. Imports to the UK can also Larch other North American tree species, see below. Light construction, interior construction, come from Latvia and Estonia where illegal logging panel products, furniture is widespread. REGIONAL INFORMATION SPECIES SPECIFIC CONCERNS EXAMPLES OF FSC COMMON USES ALTERNATIVES North American timbers Usually sourced from North America’s coastal North America has already lost much of its ancient forest. Western Red Cedar temperate rainforests. Some supplies are still FSC Western Industrial logging threatens large parts of what remains in Thuja plicata connected to ancient forest destruction. Avoid this Red Cedar both Canada and the USA. In Canada some of British species if you cannot get FSC and if the supplier is FSC European Columbia’s major logging companies are working with Light construction not working with environmental groups to improve Larch Greenpeace and other groups on a solutions process for practices. (See www.savethegreatbear.org/ FSC Red Louro the Great Bear Rainforest and new standards for logging