Sustainable Timber Labels
When you are planning any DIY which involves using timber, it is important that you understand where that timber has come from and how the source was managed and maintained. Wood harvested from sustainable sources is widely available in the UK, so there is no real reason to buy anything else.
Why are Timber Labels Important?
Timber labels let you see at a glance whether the wood you are about to buy is from a sustainable source. There are several different timber labelling schemes to show you which of the timber available in DIY stores and builders merchants is harvested from sustainable sources. Here are a couple of the more common ones to look out for.
The Forest Stewardship Council
This label indicates that the wood in question (either raw lengths of timber or in a product) has come from a forest which is well managed according to strict environmental, social and economic standards. This forest will have been independantly inspected by the FSC and approved as being well managed.
The majority of FSC certified products will carry a full FSC Label. This will be an FSC100% label, a Mix
label, or a Recycled label applied by an FSC certified company. You can read more at http://www.fsc-uk.org/
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes
This label tells you that the wood or paper products in question come from forests managed in such a way that they are sustainable and offer the least possible environmental damage.
There are several different versions of the PEFC timber label, so the one you see may not look exactly the same as the one shown here. Some PEFC certified timber products will also have information about any recycled elements. You can read more at http://www.pefc.co.uk/
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
This symbol on a wood or paper product shows you that the materials are at least 70% recycled or that they come from certified sustainable forests. You can read more at http://www.sfiprogram.org/.
Timber from Non-Sustainable Sources
If timber is taken from non-sustainable sources it can lead to all sorts of problems for both the human and animal inhabitants of that area. Taking timber from non-sustainable forests can lead to massive deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats.
Sadly, not all timber labelled as sustainable is what it seems. However, by only buying timber that displays the labels shown here, you will greatly reduce your chances of buying timber from non-sustainable forest sources.
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