Are Wooden Products Sustainable?

After just a few minutes of watching the news, you may be thinking about what you can do to be more environmentally friendly amongst all the news around climate change and with the holidays coming up you might also be wondering what to buy for the people you love.

While it may be counterintuitive, the solution may just be wooden products and gifts.

On the one hand, wood is a beautiful and natural material that seems like a perfect choice for holiday presents. On the other hand, some people are worried that buying wooden products might not be good for the environment. So what’s the answer? Keep reading to find out more about this issue.

Wooden products come from trees, which are natural resources that can be replanted. When trees are harvested, new ones are planted in their place, so using wooden products doesn’t necessarily have a negative impact on the environment. In fact, many wooden products are made from sustainable forests where new trees are planted as older ones are harvested.

Some types of wood are more sustainable than others. For example, bamboo is a very sustainable option because it grows quickly and doesn’t require much water or chemicals. Other sustainable options include FSC-certified wood and reclaimed wood.

On the other hand, some types of wood are not as sustainable. One example is rainforest wood, which is often sourced from illegal logging operations. Another example is treated wood, which has been treated with chemicals that can be harmful to the environment.

The legal framework

One of the most important aspects of sustainable forest management is the legal framework. This includes policies and legislation that support sustainable Forest management at the national, provincial, and local levels. By having a rigorous legal framework in place, you can be sure that your forests will be protected.

National data reporting

Another important element of sustainable forest management is national data reporting. This helps to ensure that countries have accurate information about their forests. This data can then be used to create management plans and make informed decisions about forest conservation.

Quality Forest inventory data

To effectively manage your forests, you need to have quality forest inventory data. This data can help you track the health of your forests and identify areas that need improvement. By investing in quality Forest inventory data, you can be sure that your forests are being properly managed.

Management planning

Effective management planning is essential for sustainable Forest management. This involves creating a plan for how you will manage your forests over time. It should include goals for conservation and restoration, as well as a timeline for implementation. By having a well-thought-out management plan, you can actually have a forest that can eventually grow faster than is being harvested.

Countries that had either policies and or legislation that support sustainable forest management cover 99% of global Forest area (an increase from FRA 2010 which reported coverage of about 70%).

Conclusion

So, there is no need to worry about the sustainability of wooden products. Wood is a renewable resource, so as long as we continue to replant trees, we can sustainably use wood products. In addition, using wood products actually helps to fight climate change because trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Therefore, buying wooden products is actually one of the most sustainable choices you can make! Here is my go to source for wooden gifts.

Reference

K.G. MacDicken, P. Sola, J.E. Hall, C. Sabogal, M. Tadoum, and C. de Wasseige, For. Ecol. Manag. 352, 47 (2015).