FEATURES
Timber from sustainable forests and plantations all over the world are available in South Africa.
CHELSEA BOCK
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systems, water and wildlife on the long term. Wood from unsustainable sources is cut without any long-term view of the impact on the environment and often involves human rights abuses, eradicating endangered species by destroying their habitats and threats to indigenous tribes. Only about 8 % of the world’ s forests are protected, and the world is fast losing its green lungs where forests soak up carbon, which in turn slows down climate change.
Forests in the European Union are protected by legal measures to ensure more trees are planted than cut, by placing a minimum requirement on replacing harvested trees and limiting annual harvests.
Harcourt-Wood says that there are many sustainable timber choices available in South Africa, including:
• Timber from South African plantations, like pine and saligna, as well as invaders such as blackwood.
• Timber from Europe and the US because the forest resource tends to be well-managed, with trees often only harvested once in a generation.
“ With American and European species there should be practically no concern for the average consumer. Tropical
" South Africa is very fortunate to have access to a wide range of species."
– Seamus Harcourt-Wood of Rare Woods SA.
forests can be more challenging, but if you buy wood from West Africa or South America though a European or USbased supplier, as we do, you can be assured of certain standards in terms of responsible forest management. These companies have to comply with either the EU Timber Regulations or the US Lacey Act, both of which set high standards for timber legality, traceability and sustainable harvesting.
“ With all imported timbers, it is essential that we help local communities to recognise and benefit from the value in their local timber resources. If that value is not shared and managed in a sustainable manner, those forests will
See more on page 52
50 APRIL / MAY 2018 //