The Importance of Good Forest Management

Credible certification gives a guarantee that a forest is ‘well-managed’ and meets recognised international environmental and social standards.

Forest certification is an inspection process that verifies the quality of forest management – as well as tracking wood products through a chain of custody from the forest to the finished product.

Standards of certification can vary and many industry based certification schemes are little more than ‘greenwash’.

It is best to choose timber certified to the internationally recognised standards, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®).

Forest Stewardship Council® is a credible certification scheme because:

• It makes a difference to the forest – FSC® is an international certification and labelling system which uses globally recognised performance standards. FSC® is an independent ‘third-party’ scheme with rigorous, transparent and participatory assessments.
• FSC® is supported by a range of key environmental organisations, social movements, economic players, and consumers.

Credibly certified forest and plantation products such as FSC® guarantee that:

• Forests are well managed to ensure continued benefits for future generations, maintaining biodiversity with minimal impact on soils and waterways.
• The rights of indigenous people are protected.
• Local communities living in or around the forest benefit from its use.

Abodo sources its New Zealand rapidly renewable timber from FSC® certified plantation forests. In doing so, in 2024 we have maintained 16 years of FSC® certification.

We commend our timber partner’s FSC® certification, including their sustainability and biodiversity practices.

Kaingaroa forestry estate managers Timberlands have a 10% biodiversity pledge with native reserve area to be set aside in the Southern Hemisphere's largest plantation forest, and so far, has cultivated 17,101 hectares of native conservation area.

Hawkes Bay radiata pine plantation forest growers, Pan Pac have set up an Environmental Trust contributing $100,000 per year, to fund projects such as pest and predator control in native and plantation forests, planting projects to protect wilderness areas from erosion, native plant propagation, and protection for the endangered dotterel.

Before buying wood products, ask your supplier if the wood is certified by the FSC® certification scheme. FSC® certified wood should carry the distinctive FSC® logo. Alternatively, your supplier should be able to produce an FSC® certificate.