PLEASE NOTE: These bulletins, published since 1997, are historical. The content is not updated.
The lumber industry has begun to respond to public concern for the fate of our forests by providing wood that has been certified as having been produced in an environmentally responsible manner. This is now true for the average consumer, as both Home Depot and Lowe's, the two largest home improvement retailers, have announced that they will stop selling wood from endangered forests.
Today's bulletin offers information about certification programs and links to information about sustainable forest management.
Retailers Offer Certified Wood
Home Depot to stop selling old-growth wood:
In addition, the company said it is moving toward selling only wood that has been certified "responsible growth," by the Mexico-based Forest Stewardship Council.
(Lowe's) Joins The Home Depot in Forest Conservation Effort:
Now Lowe's Companies, will stop selling wood products from endangered forests over the next three years. The Wilkesboro, North Carolina company also will give preference to wood that is independently certified as having come from forests managed in an environmentally responsible way.
The term "independently certified forest products" refers to those products originating in forests that have been certified as sustainably well-managed by an independent, third-party certification organization.
In short, certification:
- Ensures that timber harvesting is ecologically sound, and socially and economically beneficial to local communities
- Creates market incentives for producers to responsibly manage forests and harvest timber
- Gives consumers the power to positively "vote" for conservation when they buy certified wood products
- Contributes to the preservation of forests and forest wildlife worldwide
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. It was founded in 1993 by a diverse group of representatives from environmental and conservation groups to the timber industry.
The FSC supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. FSC promotes responsible forest management by evaluating and accrediting certifiers, by encouraging the development of national and regional forest management standards, and by providing public education and information about independent, third-party certification as a tool for ensuring that the world's forests are protected for future generations.
To display the FSC trademark, a wood product must be harvested from a forest that meet strict standards of sustainability, ecological diversity, and socioeconomic responsibility.
By tracking wood from forest to final product, certification enables consumers to support responsible forestry and provides forest owners with an incentive to maintain and improve forest management practices.
Forest Stewardship Council - U.S.
1134 29th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 342-0413
Fax: (202) 342-6589
E-mail: info@foreststewardship.orgCertified Forest Products Council
The Certified Forest Products Council is an independent, not-for-profit, voluntary initiative committed to promoting responsible forest products buying practices throughout North America in an effort to improve forest management practices worldwide.
The Certified Forest Products Council is committed to helping make a member organization a leader in the purchase, use, and/or sale of environmentally responsible forest products.
- Certified Forest Products Council
- 14780 SW Osprey Drive, Suite 285
Beaverton, OR 97007- Phone: (503) 590-6600
- Fax: (503) 590-6655
- E-mail: info@certifiedwood.org
- Accredited Forest Certification Bodies:
- (accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council for the certification of forest management)
SmartWood
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs):
Forestry Organizations:
Sustainable Forestry Partnership
Suppliers of Certified Wood:
You can search the Certified Forest Products Council for suppliers
Environmental Purchasing Program
The King County Environmental Purchasing Program assists County agencies in implementation of King County Executive Policy CON-7-1-2, which requires agencies to use recycled and other environmentally preferable products wherever practicable.
The program assembles information about these products and makes it available to specific agency users who can evaluate them and develop applications in County projects.
These environmental purchasing bulletins contain information about the results of product evaluations and other accomplishments of County agencies. We hope this information will help you find ways to use recycled materials in the work of your agency and that you will contact us if we can help you with further information or if you have suggestions.
Environmental Purchasing Program King County Procurement Services Division
Published: October 30, 2000
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Environmental Purchasing Menu | Bulletin List
Updated: October 30, 2000
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