NGfL CYMRU GCaD WOOD OCCUPATION SKILLS TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY

NGfL CYMRU GCaD Wood, the world’s only truly renewable resource, has been used for an enormous variety of purposes since pre-historic times. However, there are now nearly seven billion people on the planet, making an ever-increasing impact on the natural environment. Forests which produce timber and wood fibre need careful management, if they are to continue to meet the increasing demands placed upon them by consumers and the communities which depend upon them for their livelihoods. TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY Awareness of the need to protect these valuable resources began with a hard- hitting campaign by environmental groups in the 1970s and 1980s to highlight the plight of the tropical rainforests. This was stepped up by world leaders following the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and action groups have kept up the pressure ever since.

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY A forest area the size of a football pitch is lost every two seconds, largely because of illegal logging, and many commercial tropical tree species are still at risk of extinction. To combat these problems, various forest certification schemes have been developed and are play an increasingly important part in preserving and developing the world’s timber resource.

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY Forest certification is a two-tier process. At the first level, forests are independently certified to a recognised standard. This involves an inspection of the forest management by an independent certification body, to check that the forest management complies with agreed principles. Certified forest operations may then claim that the forest products being produced come from a responsibly managed forest – but before they can sell their products as certified, they must also obtain what is called ‘chain of custody’ certification.

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY At the second level, operators in the timber supply chain must also seek chain of custody certification to allow them to buy and sell timber from these forests as certified. Chain of custody means the unbroken and traceable path of products from the forest to the consumer, through all stages of manufacturing, sales and distribution.

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY Demand for chain of custody certification has grown dramatically in recent years. For many companies, the ability to prove that a timber product has been derived from a well-managed source is a key factor in the specification of timber products. Pressure is on all fronts, not least from central Government, which has a clear strategy on sustainable procurement.

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER SUSTAINABILITY BM TRADA offers chain of custody certification to the Forest Stewardship Council scheme and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes.[1][1] 1]

NGfL CYMRU GCaD TIMBER STRENGTH Timber is stamped according to strength properties, as described below:- Timber Species British Standard Quality Reference Strength Grade Certification Authority Condition