Good Wood – The Importance of Good Forest Management

Credible certification gives a guarantee that a forest is ‘well-managed’ and meets recognised international environmental and social standards.

Forest certification is an inspection process that verifies the quality of forest management – as well as tracking wood products through a chain of custody from the forest to the finished product.

Standards of certification can vary and many industry based certification schemes are little more than ‘greenwash’.

It is best to choose timber certified to the internationally recognised standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®).

Forest Stewardship Council is a credible certification scheme because:

• It makes a difference to the forest – FSC® is the only international certification and labelling system which uses globally recognised performance standards. FSC® is an independent ‘third-party’ scheme with rigorous, transparent and participatory assessments
• FSC® is supported by a range of key environmental organisations, social movements, economic players, and consumers.

Credibly certified forest and plantation products such as FSC® guarantee that:

• Forests are well managed to ensure continued benefits for future generations, maintaining biodiversity with minimal impact on soils and waterways.
• The rights of indigenous people are protected.
• Local communities living in or around to the forest benefit from its use.

Before buying wood products, ask your supplier if the wood is certified by the FSC® certification scheme. FSC® certified wood should carry the distinctive FSC® logo (as seen in the image above). Alternatively your supplier should be able to produce an FSC® certificate.

Be firm, insist on FSC® certification, and don’t listen to the ‘greenwash’.