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Good Wood Guide Fauna and Flora International - Conserving wildlife since 1903
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Step 3: Buy locally produced timber products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified

If you can't find recycled timber for your DIY and woodworking projects; the next best environmental choice is local FSC certified timber.

Why are locally produced goods better?

Timber from closer to home requires less transportation from the forest. The carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by traffic has a dramatic effect on climate change. The farther the travel, the higher the CO2 emissions.

FSC logo  

What is FSC certification?

FSC certification guarantees your timber comes from a well-managed forest according to internationally-agreed standards.

Select these products over others, and send a powerful message to the timber industry and governments that you don't want timber that comes from destructive logging.

Why is FSC better than other certification schemes?

Although there are many certification initiatives on the market or under development, the FSC is the only scheme that fulfils all requirements for a credible forest certification scheme, and is the only one recommended by Fauna & Flora International and Friends of the Earth.

Not all FSC certified wood is harvested by horses!

Image of horse harvesting FSC certified timber

Forest Stewardship Council Certification

  • Is a globally recognised scheme
  • Is fully participatory, with transparent and open processes
  • Uses performance-based standards
  • Has rigorous, independent assessment process, including stakeholder consultation and on-going monitoring.

 

  

Buy the book for

Image of the book of the Good wood guide

  • Detailed guidance on buying timber from well-managed forests
  • More information on certification schemes
  • Analysis of timber products and alternatives.

Only £7.50. Order now >

Related links

FSC UK News and information from the UK Forest Stewardship Council
UK Listings of FSC retailers
FSC International News and information from the Global Forest Stewardship Council
Global Trees Campaign site under construction) Focusing on saving endangered tree species
BRE Building Research Establishment, includes
Materials Information Exchange and SMART assessment programmes.

Or see our full list of Good wood guide links.

If you can't use locally produced FSC certified timber, then use FSC certified timber from farther afield.  Step 4 >

Image: © Edward Parker

Image of a strip of wood