In the modern era, with global warming and climate change being an ever more urgent issue, the value of sustainable wood products has never been more important. This is because the inability to use renewable sources of raw materials would lead to increased climate change and an increase in global temperatures. But it doesn't have to be that way. You will do your part to help slow down and reduce the magnitude of climate change by making even the slightest improvements, such as ensuring that you only buy wood products that are ethically-sourced.

Ethically-sourced wood

Any wood sourced from sustainably maintained trees is known to be renewable. It is renewable and the environment is continuously managed to ensure that the habitat is destroyed and that biodiversity is not harmed, both in the long and short term. The added advantage to preserving the environment, allowing trees to flourish instead of everything that is being harvested, is that it will help to trap carbon dioxide for decades to come. As such, it would prove invaluable to keep our air clean and reduce the increase in global temperatures.

How ethically-sourced wood affects the world?

Unfortunately, much of the wood available in the world market is unsustainable. That's because it comes through illicit outlets, and the harvested trees are not replaced. This is how deforestation happens. Buying unsustainable timber has dire implications for the local woodland ecosystem and the world as a whole.

Biodiversity of the forest—including its water supplies, soils, plant species, and animal populations—must be preserved. This ensures that forest managers mitigate deforestation and preserve waterways. It also prevents the use of toxic pesticides; dispose of waste properly; preserve native trees and retain genetic diversity on their land. People should dedicate some of their lands as protected areas where logging is prohibited. It includes a forest area that is steeply sloped, providing protection to important wildlife species, and providing services to endangered wildlife species.

The FSC standard requires forest managers to protect natural forests from disappearing, minimize the risk of burning, and take special care to protect high protection value forests. This word is used to identify forests that contain large concentrations of biodiversity; are located in or comprise rare or vulnerable ecosystems; are vital suppliers of environmental services, or are essential for defining the cultural identity of forest communities.

Sustainable forestry emphasizes keeping natural trees standing, and only in very rare situations can a tree plantation arising from the conversion of forests after November 1994 even qualify for FSC certification. However, the development of plantations on already deforested or degraded land will boost the sustainability of the environment and help satisfy some of the demand for forest products by removing pressure from natural forests. In order to achieve FSC certification, plantations must function in compliance with a management plan that supports the protection, regeneration, and conservation of natural forests.