By: Petra Postolache

The hairy caterpillar in the picture above is the larva of the pale tussock moth. The small insect is, for us, a symbol of diversity of life forms in European forests and of our support for the FSC. The larva is also our symbol for FSC week, a campaign that ran in Scandinavia from the 4th. – April 10, 2022, by which we celebrated biodiversity and explored what it means for us and for timber industry in general.

Focus on lesser-known types of wood in our range

At Global Timber’s warehouse you find over 40 different types of hardwood; everything from the popular species such as Sipo, Sapele, Ipé, or Cumaru to the lesser known ones like Tali, Araracanga (Canga) or Garapa. Many of the species have similar qualities, so the range of applications is wide for many of the timber species.

Biodiversity is synonymous with the richness of species and in the forest, it refers to all life forms that exist. Imagine all the life in a forest. From the very bottom of the forest floor to the top leaf of a tree several meters up in the air; biodiversity includes everything in-between. Not only the trees but also a wide range of plants, animals, and microorganisms that call the forest their home. The number of different species is the key word – a plantation with 1,000 palm trees has a low biodiversity, while a forest with 100 trees of different species has a high diversity.

Biodiversity is extremely important for the nature. In FSC-certified forests, the forest owner must designate a minimum percentage of the certified area be preserved and protected to promote biodiversity. Here, the forest owner will have to ensure favorable conditions for rare or endangered species native to the area. In addition, at least 5% of the forested area must be designated as untouched forest[1].

Think of alternatives and help the forest

Tropical wood has a wide range of excellent properties such as high durability, strength, and beautiful aesthetics, which gives the species a broad selection of applications[2]. There are more than 50,000 timber species in the tropical forests, but we usually only use a handful of these. Therefore, many types of wood are overlooked in the international market today as the demand lies with the more well-known types of timber species. Therefore, it is important to start thinking about alternative options and choosing timber according to qualities and characteristics instead of going for the same woods as previously.

Member of FSC Denmark and sponsor of lesser-known tree species

At Global Timber, we are proud to help preserve our global forests through important environmental certifications. We recognize and support the work of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) to promote sustainable tropical forestry on all global markets. While we know, we cannot provide all customers with certified goods, we want to make an effort towards more certified timber sales and have made a goal for ourselves. The goal is that in 2025, 80% of our sales must come from certified timber. Another step in this direction is that we have entered into a collaboration with FSC Denmark, where we sponsor their program for lesser-known timber species (Lesser Known Timber Species) and have become a member of FSC Denmark this spring.

To strengthen our commitment to protect biodiversity in the forests, we have been participating in the FSC week to focus on biodiversity in Denmark. We have chosen the larva of the pale tussock moth as our symbol of biodiversity in the Danish forests. The larva is native to Denmark, and it feeds on the leaves of deciduous trees such as oak, beech, willow, birch and hawthorn. The pale tussock moth – and all the other animals of the forest – help keep our forests strong and healthy and ultimately, helps the planet progress to a greener future.

[1] www.fsc.dk

[2] Danish Wood Association – Dansk Træforening