Sustainable Timber Processing: Overview

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Timber is a building material that is easy to obtain and cheap. Moreover, it is renewable, recyclable, environment friendly and its manufacturing methods are simple. Forests can be used as carbon sinks by harvesting wood and using it for various purposes while replanting new trees. This process is termed ‘carbon sequestration’ (APP Timber 1). The director of FSC, Fraser Steele, states that

Timber, correctly managed, has the potential to be one of, if not the most, environmentally friendly building material available. It was important to me that if we were to choose from the many chain of custody schemes available, it must be the scheme with the highest credentials (FSC Australia 3).

Proper management of forests and natural habitat is important in ensuring continuous supply of wood for construction purposes. Forest management in the various countries safeguard the woodlands. Geoff Henley states:

Wood is the ultimate material for the age of sustainability which is now upon us. The environmental credentials of forests and wood are excellent, and wood has a vital role to play in the tansition of the world’s economies to greater sustainability (APP Timber 3).

Many programs and bodies have been set up to ensure strict adherence to environmental standards when supplying wood for different purposes. The Forest Stewardship Council, set up in 1993, gives Forest Management, Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood certifications (Dispenza 4).

Despite its positive impacts on the environment, the use of wood as a main construction material in Australia is yet to cement. This can be attributed to lack of proper management of forests that can lead to sustainable forests. The Australian Forest Certification Scheme is a body in Australia that promotes sustainable management and safeguarding of forests (APP Timber 2). In 2009, the Forest Stewardship Council Australia decided not to certify indigenous forests or products obtained from indigenous forests due to non compliance with the required minimum standards. Its report stated “Comments in a news release by Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck today as inaccurate, misleading and unhelpful to the Tasmanian forests and forest products industry” (Spencer 1). However, Australia was recertified in 2011, and this will go a long way in heartening forest sustainability.