How the FSC® protects forest ecosystems around the world

The Forest Stewardship Council or FSC® has been working hard to protect our forests and the people and wildlife that live within them, for some 25 years. 

They currently operate in over 100 markets to ensure their timber certification scheme is recognised and relied upon by professionals serving a multitude of industries. Their hard work has certainly paid off with a recent study revealing that 69% prefer to buy an FSC® certified product than any other.

Since their foundation, they’ve had a positively profound impact on the planet. They use a number of practices to guarantee a higher level of protection for natural forests, forest communities, and endangered species, with the latter seeing them collaborate with organisations such as WWF. 

As a supporter of the FSC®, our FSC® certified products mean projects big and small are also doing their bit for the environment. But how does choosing FSC® certified timber protect the forest ecosystems around the world?

Protecting for future generations

By using responsible forest management techniques and setting standards around the world, the FSC® is helping to reduce the millions of acres of forest that are lost every single year due to unsustainable practices. The FSC® also prevents illegal logging, forest degradation, and deforestation in certified areas. 

The rights of indigenous people and those working within FSC® forests are also protected. Whilst habitat is maintained to ensure wildlife of all types (including endangered species) can not just survive but thrive. Water resources and soils are other areas the FSC® is involved in, with the fragile ecosystems they support benefitting as a result.

In FSC® forests, the use of toxic chemicals and genetically modified organisms (or GMOs) is strictly prohibited to ensure native ecosystems are protected. The FSC® is currently developing new tools to promote ecosystem service protection, as well as providing additional economic support for their FSC® certified partners managing their forests using the responsible practices they recommend.

Discover more about the FSC® and their work.

Recognising the importance of trees

The FSC® do something we should all do more regularly – recognise the important part forests play. Put simply, we need trees to survive, particularly as they absorb waste product CO2. With this in mind, forests are one of the most important solutions to addressing the effects of climate change. 

Approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, one-third of the CO2 released from burning fossil fuels, is absorbed by forests every year. By preserving forest environments and restoring degraded land, we can actively stabilise the climate, protect biodiversity, regulate ecosystems, and ensure the vital role forests fulfil in the carbon cycle can continue.

By choosing FSC® certified timber, you’re choosing a responsibly sourced, renewable, reusable and recyclable material. Buying FSC® certified timber unlocks many benefits for the environment as we’ve discussed. Here, the FSC® explains how the energy and thermal performance of timber products compares to other materials:

“Five times better than concrete, ten times better than brick and 350 times better than steel, wood is an excellent material for thermal insulation. A 2.5 cm timber board has greater thermal resistance than an 11.4 cm brick wall. So, as well as cutting energy use in manufacture and construction, the properties of wood also help improve energy performance throughout the life of a building.”

In addition to benefitting from excellent performance and durability, its outstanding natural beauty is another reason why FSC® certified timber is used across a variety of applications.

Looking to purchase FSC® certified timber for an upcoming project? Get started by contacting our team today. We deliver quality FSC® certified timber products for all applications, including for use across landscaping, civil, and marine projects.

Do you already have an unlabelled product and want to check whether it is FSC® certified? Read our step by step guide to doing just that.