About Certified Wood Products

Forests are home to over two-thirds of all plants and animals on earth. They help keep our air and water clean and help stabilize the world's climate. Forests provide humans with a wide array of products, recreational opportunities, and services. They are a source of beauty and inspiration to us all.

But the quantity and quality of many of the world's forests are being rapidly diminished. Wood certification through the FSC is a promising conservation tool that helps protect forests from over-cutting and mismanagement - to conserve them for future generations to use and enjoy.

What is Wood Certification?
Certification involves an independent evaluation of a landowner's forestry practices according to strict environmental and socio-economic standards. For a tree to become a finished wood product, it must pass through a number of steps, including harvest, primary and secondary processing, manufacturing, distribution and sale. This process is known as chain-of-custody. By auditing each step in the process, chain-of-custody certification assures consumers that the certified products they buy were indeed produced in a certified forest.

Who is the FSC?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1993 to establish international forest management standards and to accredit and monitor certification organizations around the world. Their accreditation program "certifies the certifiers" to ensure organizations that bestow the FSC-endorsed seal are requiring full compliance with the FSC's Principles and Criteria for forest management. For landowners and foresters to be FSC-certified, they must meet these strict chain-of-custody standards that protect forest ecosystems, water quality, and wildlife habitats, and strengthen local economies.

There are now millions of acres of FSC-certified forests all over the world. The FSC has earned the support of major environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Greenpeace, The Wilderness Society, and the World Wildlife Fund.

What You Can Do
Ask for FSC-certified wood products in your local stores. Spread the word that consumers prefer products that protect our forests. When you purchase any kind of wood product, from furniture to flooring, gifts to guitars, look for the FSC logo. Your purchase of FSC-certified products is the best way to support better forest management.

For more information, visit the Forest Stewardship Council.

If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail: info@gardeners.com