Wood is a renewable, durable and versatile material that has been used for millennia all over the world. Due to their properties, wood and wood-based products have long traditions in a wide variety of applications – from construction and furniture-making to paper production and heating.
Sound use of wood is an integrated concept, encompassing responsible forest management, wood processing and end-use by consumers. The concept also encompasses the use of wood and forest-products originating from sustainable sources.
Sustainable forest management and sound use of wood
Sustainable forest management is the essential basis for sound use of wood. FOREST EUROPE has since 1990 developed policy tools for promoting and implementing sustainable forest management in the pan-European region. The ministers responsible for forests in Europe have elaborated common principles and practices for sustainable forest management. This collective understanding captures the multiple functions of forests, and helps to achieve economic, environmental and social objectives. The concept of sustainable forest management in Europe includes guidelines and criteria which secure the supply of wood from sustainable sources as well as other multiple goods and services provided by forests. Monitoring and reporting on all aspects of sustainability are an essential part of the FOREST EUROPE work. The latest analysis of the forest conditions across Europe is presented in the report “State of Europe’s Forests 2011”.
Europe is in the fortunate position of having huge amounts of wood. There are 1.02 billion hectares of forest in Europe, which amount to 25 percent of the world total. Over the last 20 years, the forest area has expanded in all European regions and has gained 0.8 million hectares each year. Over the same period, the total growing stock of forests in Europe has increased by 8.6 billion cubic metres, an equivalent to the total combined growing stock of France, Germany and Poland. In almost all countries, the net annual increment is higher than the annual fellings. In the European region, approximately 40 percent of the increment is utilized. In the Russian Federation the felling rate has decreased from 41 percent in 1990 and stabilized around 20 percent since 2000. In Europe without the Russian Federation, the felling rate increased from 58 percent in 1990 to 62 percent in 2010. Sustainable forest management plays a key role in this positive development.
Sound use of wood contributes to climate change mitigation
In the light of climate change, there is an increasing need for wood in Europe and other regions of the world. Climate change and energy security concerns have lead to government policies that demand the increased supply of wood in order to meet the targets for renewable energy and reduction of CO2 emissions.
Forests, sustainably managed forests and forest products can play a vital role in mitigating climate change. Growing forests sequester carbon, and wood products store carbon throughout their life time. In addition, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through increased use of forest products, which can substitute other products with higher greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include wood-based bioenergy substituting fossil fuels and wood used for construction replacing energy-intensive materials like cement or steel based products.
Cooperating to secure sustainable wood resources and promoting good forest governance
Responding to environmental challenges, and in particular to climate change, the FOREST EUROPE signatory countries have committed themselves to ensure enabling conditions for enhanced sustainable wood production and supply. Promoting public procurement policies that demand legally and sustainably produced timber and wood products is a high-priority issue. Efforts are being made by FOREST EUROPE countries to foster good governance and forest law enforcement, and to combat illegal logging and the trade of forest products associated therewith. FOREST EUROPE, in close cooperation with the UNECE and FAO, takes specific actions to improve information on wood resources and consumption in Europe. Further attention is paid to promoting knowledge and understanding of the necessary conditions for enhanced use of wood from legal and sustainable sources.
Link:
Good practice guidance on the sustainable mobilisation of wood in Europe.
