Where Does Your Wood
Come From ? ADVANCES
IN TRACEABILITY TECH GIVE CONSUMERS MORE INFO THAN EVER BEFORE
BY JOE O ’ DONNELL , IWPA SENIOR MANAGER OF GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Today ’ s discerning designers , and increasingly even individual retail consumers , have a seemingly unlimited pallette of wood species and products to choose from as they specify the perfect materials to bring their dream home , boat or personal woodworking project to life . As we see in many of the remarkable projects throughout this magazine , it is not just the beautiful color and remarkable performance of the wood products that the specifier is looking to highlight in each project , but the story behind the materials that were chosen . To help consumers gain a greater understanding of where wood comes from , and the story behind it , traceability is playing an increasingly important role in the wood products marketplace .
Traceability has also garnered increased attention as wood products suppliers comply with the requirements of laws such as the Lacey Act in the United States , the European Union Timber Regulation , and Australia ’ s Illegal Logging Prohibition Act , that were put in place to ensure the legal sourcing of wood products from around the world . Increasingly , suppliers are also using traceability to share information that connects their customers to the remarkable nature of the woods they are using and its importance to the sustainability
12 INTERNATIONAL WOOD of the forest ecosystem and communities that rely on forests for their livelihoods .
Until recently , certification schemes such as those offered by the Forest Stewardship Council ( FSC ) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification ( PEFC ) were the most visible ways in which wood products consumers could confirm that the wood they were purchasing was sourced in accordance with the laws of the country of origin and the sustainability requirements of the applicable certification scheme . However , emerging technologies are proliferating rapidly as experts seek new approaches to traceability . While there is currently no single “ silver bullet ” solution that allows for perfect traceability , these technologies can be looked at as individual tools in a toolbox that wood trade professionals use to meet their customers ’ needs .
DNA SAMPLING : Double Helix Tracking Technologies uses wood species genetics to detect illegal timber entering global supply chains .
BIG DATA : In Brazil , the BVRio Responsible Timber Exchange combs through available data such as permits and licenses to assess the risk of illegality of wood products shipments .
NANOMATERIALS : Stardust Materials has developed marking technologies using nanomaterials that can be used to track wood products through the supply chain .
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS : The U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service ’ s National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory uses a Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry ( DART- TOFMS ) machine to determine the full chemical profiles of wood samples , allowing rapid species testing at low cost .
GENETIC ENHANCEMENT : NOVELTEAK has developed a genetic fingerprint for each unit that allows the company to track wood through to the finished product .
While these new technologies have improved the ability to trace wood products through the supply chain , the financial cost and staff time associated with adding additional procedures mean that is not appropriate for all wood products . For those instances wood products importers carry out what has come to be known as due care to ensure that inappropriate material does not enter their supply chain . IWPA has been at the forefront of developing a Wood Trade Compliance Training and Due Diligence Tools Course which helps wood products suppliers as well as companies that utilize wood products in their manufacturing processes understand how to integrate due care into their businesses processes .
Our hope is that International Wood Magazine and Buyers Guide will continue to serve as the most useful resource for leading designers and specifiers looking to source the highest quality wood products from around the world . The articles that follow highlight projects and suppliers that are at the forefront of our industry . As you are making sourcing decisions going forward , we encourage you to refer to our Buyers Guide which beings on Page 56 to contact suppliers that can connect you with wood products that meet the highest standards you demand .
To provide additional context , we asked Stéphane Giannaz , Chief Commercial Officer for the Precious Woods Group , about steps his company has taken to promote sustainable forest management .
How does your company ’ s commitment to sustainable forest management contribute to the health of the forests where you source wood ?
Sustainable forest management practices are not only about respecting nature and making sure you don ’ t take more than what nature generates , it is also about respecting and valuing the communities