Sustainable Wood - What’s it all About

You may have heard recent news from DIY retailer B&Q that they now source all of their timber from sustainable sources. They are the first UK retailer to go 100% sustainable and it has proven that it is certainly possible to do so. But what exactly does sustainable mean and how do we know if the wood we buy for our decking or our DIY job is from a proven sustainable source?

B&Q started their sustainable campaign nearly twenty years ago and since then they have sourced their wood increasingly from farms which are well managed and where the trees are replanted once they previous ones have been felled. Unfortunately, not all retailers can say the same. Many are unable to trace their timber back to sustainable sources, which means there is a chance that the trees have come from rainforests which are being depleted on a daily basis.

However despite a lack of knowledge when it comes to what sustainable means and how to look for sustainable wood, customers agree with the idea. A study carried out by The Forest Trust discovered that 92% of shoppers agreed they would prefer their wood to be from a sustainable source as long as it didn't cost any more to buy.

It is easy to see if the wood you are buying is sustainable. It will be stamped with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. In addition it will have a number stamped directly into the wood. This will show where it came from. This mark shows that the trees have been felled and then replaced with new ones or they are allowed to regenerate in a natural way. Obviously the other way to ensure your wooden goods are sustainable is to buy them from retailers who have ensured they have only bought from well managed farms.

However the picture is not all rosy. It seems that scientists at a Canadian university have found that forest harvesting may do damage to the underlying soil and that even planting a new tree may not undo the damage done by felling. They found that carbon levels in the soil did not reach the pre-felling stage until 100 years after a new tree was planted. The figures for soil nitrogen were very similar.

This research suggests that forests need more time to regenerate than they are currently being given. As pointed out by the scientists it is important that the elements lost to the atmosphere is returned to the soil by the trees and this needs to happen over a period of 80 to 100 years.

So it can be argued that it is better use recycled wood where possible or to find alternative building materials. But in the meantime, try to find sustainable wood and you can enjoy a greener building experience.