Sustainable timber refers to timber that has been harvested responsibly from well managed forests that are continuously replenished and ensure that there is no damage to the surrounding environment, or to native flora and fauna. In the US the main ways to demonstrate timber is sustainable is by obtaining certification from either the FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) or PEFC® (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). Accoya is FSC® certified wood, view our certificate.
The FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) is an independent international organisation. In order to supply FSC® certified timber, we have to prove our sustainable woods are managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. Find out more.
Timber from well managed sources, such as FSC® certified forests, is a natural, renewable solution for global environmental problems such as climate change, ecosystem destruction and landscape deterioration caused by increasing human consumption. Besides forming a natural ecological habitat, forests are an important carbon sink by filtering CO₂ out of the air and absorbing into the biomass of the tree.
In the case of responsible management, it is advantageous to harvest the trees once they have reached a maturity, as the rate at which they sequester carbon from the atmosphere slows down at this point. By harvesting these trees, the timber that goes on to make Accoya acts as carbon store while providing the forest with the opportunity to regenerate and produce new biomass (acting as new carbon sink).
Supplies of certified slow growing tropical hardwoods suitable for outdoor use are becoming increasingly limited, resulting in illegal logging which, in turn, leads to the deforestation of tropical rainforests. Conversely, in temperate regions such as in Europe and North America the net forest area has been increasing steadily for several decades, thanks to faster growing species of trees and responsible forest management.
Tropical hardwoods take many decades to mature, and some are not suitable for logging for well over 100 years. With a service life of only a few decades once manufactured into finished products, it’s clear that this cannot be a very sustainable approach to preserving the world’s tropical rainforests.
With the speed of growth and yield of softwood being faster and greater than that of hardwood, it is easier to meet the ever-increasing needs of global consumption with FSC certified soft wood. At the same time environmental benefits are clear, with sustainably managed softwood sequestering more carbon than hardwood over comparable timeframes.
To produce Accoya, only abundantly available sustainable timber species are being used from certified, sustainably managed forests and plantations, including FSC® certified wood.
Fast growing softwood species such as Radiata Pine are primarily used to produce Accoya. All Accoya is compliant with the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) as well as the USA’s Lacey Act, and therefore responsible production is guaranteed.
Resources FAO (2006).
Global Planted Forests Thematic Study: Results and Analysis.
FAO (2001). Mean Annual Volume Increment of Selected Industrial Forest Plantation Species. Lamc, D. (2011).
Regreening the Bare Hills. FAO (2016).
Definition of the Parameters and Formulas used in the Wood Supply Projection.
Cossalter, C. And Pye-Smith, C (2003).
Fast-Wood Foresty- Myths and Realities, CIFOR.
Grown in the central region of Europe, European Oak grows slowly, producing a uniform colour and straight grain
Scots pine is an evergreen conifer native to northern Europe.
Teak is a tropical hardwood tree species
Slightly durable hardwood native to Southeast Asia
Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species
European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe
Radiata Pine is a softwood with low durability classification that is tunred in to highly durable product called Accoya
Radiata Pine is a softwood with low durability classification that is tunred in to highly durable product called Accoya
Where to Buy
You can buy Accoya and Accoya products from our selection of distributors or manufacturers in your region. Use our map search tool to find your nearest Accoya supplier.
