Wood flooring and the environment = http://www.foresbec.co.uk/index.html Hardwood flooring is a natural product, made from a renewable resource and completely biodegradable. In fact, using hardwood flooring helps encourage responsible forest management and the planting of a diverse range of species of tree. The total area of hardwood forest in Europe and North America is actually increasing every year because of active replanting. Another point in favour of hardwood flooring is that traditionally flooring has been produced by making use of the smaller pieces of timber left by the sawmill after grading the full size planks (typically 180mm x 4m/ 7” x 12 foot) for sale to furniture manufacturers and joiners. Thus it has always contributed to making the most efficient use of each tree felled. Foresbec UK environmental policy As a major part of our commitment to the environment we aim to source all our products from responsible manufacturers (which is also reflected in the high quality of all our flooring). Our stock management system makes it possible to track every pack of flooring we sell from our customer back to the producer, hence the use of the pallet number on all sales documentation. We are currently in the process of applying for Chain of Custody certification by the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) and the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes). This will mean that our stock management system will be independently audited and that we will be able to provide certified chain of custody from the forest all the way through production and distribution to our customer. The starting point is our own Canadian Foresfloor production, which all is made using North American timber. The forests in Canada and the USA are very strictly controlled by provincial and/or state authorities, as well as by independent forestry certification schemes, so there can be no question over the environmental credentials of the timber used. Our Canadian mill is currently in the process of applying for FSC Chain of Custody certification, which will mean that our Canadian production will also be independently audited. All our other flooring products are sourced from very carefully chosen manufacturers, and we plan to add more FSC and PEFC certified products to our range in the near future. Merbau flooring from Indonesia: in recent years there has been a serious illegal logging problem in Indonesia, which has created controversy over the use of Merbau and other hardwood products from this country. Ironically, Merbau is a fast growing and abundant species, ideal for sustainable forestry. We have continued to buy Merbau flooring on a small scale, with the aim of supporting responsible Indonesian manufacturers that are using timber from legitimate sources, rather than stopping buying from Indonesia altogether. Our buyer works with high level Indonesian government officials when selecting and monitoring manufacturers, and we insist on full documentation that our flooring is legally produced and exported.
