It recognizes in its preamble that “The challenge of safeguarding the environmental, social and economic benefits that the world’s forests provide is critical for life on Earth. It requires a world in which people manage forests sustainably, a world that recognizes the integral and interdependent nature of our planet, a world that acknowledges and values the significance of rural communities, indigenous peoples, and families that depend on forests for their livelihoods” and states ten principles as a common framework to maximize the benefits that forest certification can offer to society:

• Human beings are at the centre of sustainable forest management
• Recognize and respect national sovereignty in the design and implementation of sustainable forest management policies and standards
• Protect the complexity of forest ecosystems, forest-dependent economies, and rural culture by adopting integrated forest management plans and policies
• Contribute to poverty reduction through empowerment of the poor
• Open and accessible stakeholder processes are essential
• Transparency, inclusiveness, and collaboration are fundamental prerequisites for global sustainability
• Utilize the benefits of renewable and climate-smart forestbased products
• Rely on science, local experience, and traditional forest-related knowledge to advance sustainable forest management
• Use a precautionary approach to prevent irreversible damage
• Promoting global acceptance of sustainable forest management through voluntary programmes and education is the fastest path to healthy forests and vibrant rural communities.

The content above was taken from PEFC International’s website; further information at http://www.pefc.org/news-a-media/general-sfm-news

FSC developed in the early 1990s, galvanised from concerns over tropical deforestation and the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. PEFC followed a few years later, evolving from a pan European rival to FSC to become a global competitor. Whilst FSC still has the march on PEFC in terms of appeal and market presence, PEFC extends to more of the world’s forests. And this competition IS a good thing, despite what many merchants and manufacturers might tell you! Whilst the differences between FSC and PEFC can be a bit academic, I believe that ultimately they are striving towards the same end. With little more than 5% of global forests certified, pressure and competition needs to keep growing, to secure and develop renewable, sustainable forest resources into the future.

FSC and PEFC can be expensive – and why not? Illegal clearfelling of virgin forest and selling the timber on the black market where none of the value ends up in the hands of the local people is far cheaper than having a management plan which considers the forest as a whole – the timber, the wildlife, the landscape, the water, the future –  trained and equipped workers who earn a decent wage and selective felling of tree species for maximum yield whilst conserving long term productivity!

At Ligna we are foresters by training and businessmen at heart. We want us all to use only certified timber but also understand that sometimes the price is more important than the cost. Striking the balance, especially in today’s economic climate, is a tricky path to walk. We need to secure the deal but also to explain to our customers that certified timber from a properly regulated and independently verified forest and supply chain is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Early in 2013 new European legislation comes in to force which will make it illegal for European companies to import timber that is illegally harvested in the country of origin. You may need to read that twice…! Notwithstanding how that is going to be enforced, here and across Europe, the general trend is towards strengthening forest management to ensure long-term supplies. And we can all play our part.

Implementing supply chain control through adopting Chain of Custody is actually pretty straightforward. Both PEFC and FSC offer different systems within their overall approaches and they can always be adapted to fit the needs of businesses along the supply chain. In nearly 10 years, working with forest owners, importers, merchants, manufacturers and retailers, from blue chips to one man bands, in timber and fibre, I have yet to come across a company that couldn’t get sorted. Simple and effective systems, married with existing management tasks (or in some cases starting from scratch) are all that is required. If it takes more than a couple of hours a week, something is going wrong!

We can, and do, make a difference. As demand increases, so suppliers in to our markets need to up their game. Look around at the shelves of Travis Perkins, B&Q and the supermarkets and increasingly you’ll see the FSC and PEFC logos. But it doesn’t have to be just the biggest players – everyone involved in the trade can and should get Chain of Custody certified.

The Strategy describes the finance the Government is committing: £400m to build affordable homes; hundreds of millions of pounds to help first-time buyers purchase, underwriting mortgages and reducing deposit requirements; and an extra £50m on top of the £100m from this year’s budget towards an initiative to refurbish empty homes.   There are plans to accelerate the strategy by freeing up public sector land with “build now, pay later” deals for developers.  It is hoped that the initiative will support up to 32,000 jobs.

And interesting element is the direction of funds to building sites that are already established but where work has seized.  These ‘ready-to-go’ sites could be where the action kicks-off.  The strategy also states that finance will be ring-fenced for small and medium-sized house builders.

The Government does not appear to be shirking its environmental responsibilities when it comes to construction.  All new homes will meet the Zero Carbon Homes standard from 2016; Building Regulations (Part L) are being reviewed and expected to be further updated to improve energy efficiency and the carbon emissions associated with new housing; the National Adaptation Programme, due to be published in 2013, will outline how the Government is planning to include climate change adaptation design into the built environment.

We hope that the Government’s action successfully unblocks the market and returns confidence to a frustrated industry. More house building will be good news for the timber trade at large and to joiners, timber framers and staircase manufacturers, and more specifically those companies that have FSC and PEFC certification.  With funds coming from the public purse, in keeping with the UK Government’s Timber Procurement Policy, there is an obligation to source responsibly.  We hope this Government spending will not only boost construction but will also see a rise in third party verified, legal and sustainable timber use and implementation of Chain of Custody certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC.

Watch this space

 Time is moving fast!  We are already in the second half of 2011 and some of the biggest events to affect our industry in a long time are only around the corner.  Who managed to get Olympic tickets?  We have been providing support to the ODA and it’s been great watching one of Europe’s largest responsible-procurement projects to take shape.  And there’s still plenty to do before the opening ceremony!  Enforcement of the EU’s Timber Regulation in March 2013 looms.  For companies buying their products seasons in advance, that doesn’t leave much time.  We were at Chatham House in late June to hear the latest developments from DEFRA and the concerns coming from industry.  There’s a lot to do and we are making it Ligna’s job to keep abreast of updates to legislation, standards and other issues facing the industry. 

We’re proud of what Ligna has achieved to date and look forward to tackling the challenges to come in the next few years, continuing to support responsible business, certification, due diligence and improving environmental management.

Have a look around the website and get in touch if you need more info.  And be sure to check back in regularly for helpful news, insider knowledge and industry updates.

Thanks