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Timber

As a renewable material with the ability to sequester carbon, the interest in timber has surged in our industry. The majority is used as sawn softwood and boards, while 1 percent is used to produce glue-laminated timber (Glulam) for load bearing elements such as rafters, or cross-laminated timber (CLT) for surfaces such as walls and floors. Timber is harvested in a range of countries worldwide, such as the US, China, Russia, and Brazil. The UK imports most of its timber from Europe, namely Sweden, Latvia, Finland, and Germany.

Impact Rating

Type

Score

Biodiversity

1 /4

Climate

0 /4

Freshwater

4 /4

Land

4 /4

Ocean

1 /4

Human

4 /4

Key Statistics

> 60 %

of forests in the EU comprise self-seeding trees

that grow from seeds that fall and germinate in situ.

Reference

~80 %

of all forests are under management plans or equivalent.

50 %

of forest area in the UK is certified by FSC and PEFC.

Reference

38 %

of timber sourced within the UK, the rest is imported mostly from Europe

Method of Extraction

  • Logging of forests or plantations, with varying degrees of sustainable forest management, from clear-cutting to regenerative forestry. 

Key Impacts

1

Soil erosion and compaction

With a lack of canopy, the soil becomes prone to erosion. Machinery used on forest soil can compact soil, deteriorating conditions for life underground as well as lower the ability for plants to penetrate the soil with their roots.
2

Habitat loss and fragmentation.

Timber harvesting can lead to biodiversity loss by destroying, disrupting, or fragmenting habitats, or directly affecting animal species. This is especially true when clearing large areas of forest, leaving the land bare and devoid of the complex vegetation structures that many species rely on for shelter, food, and reproduction.
3

Disruption of the water cycle

Since trees and forests regulate the water cycle by absorbing and releasing water through their roots and leaves, their absence can lead to severe effects due to the lack of water retention and increased run-off, resulting in flooding, erosion, and drought.
4

Indigenous and local community impacts

Many indigenous and local communities depend on forests for their livelihoods, cultural practices, and resources. Unsustainable timber harvesting can disrupt these communities’ way of life and lead to conflicts over land and resources.

Existing safeguards and certifications

  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This certification sets standards for responsible forest management. and assures that the certified timber and wood products come from forests that meet environmental and social criteria. There are different types of FSC certifications, such as FSC 100% (all wood comes from FSC-certified forests), FSC Mix (a combination of FSC-certified and non-certified wood), and FSC Recycled (products made from reclaimed materials).
  • Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC works at both the global and national levels, endorsing national forest certification systems that meet their criteria. Unlike FSC, which has a centralized standard, PEFC operates through a decentralized system with multiple national standards.

Best practice and recommendations

When wanting to procure timber, here are 4 key considerations to reduce the ecological footprint of your material choice.

Prioritise the recycle or reuse of timber.

Reusing and recycling timber where possible, using the cascading approach, where timber products are reused and recycled sequentially in order to maximise their value over several lifecycles.

Optimise Design

Where new timber is used, it should be designed efficiently. While timber has the potential to be a comparably low-impact material, growing global demand requires the built environment to use this resource responsibly.

Prioritise low impact material

Procure FSC or PEFC-certified timber.

Support sustainable forestry.

Approaches include maintaining the tree canopy, selective logging, and minimising damage to the soil. Through cutting limits and careful extraction of logs, the structure of the forest can be maintained.

Solutions

  • Regenerative or low-impact forestry. Regenerative forestry prioritises ecological health over the short-term yield of timber harvesting. Maintaining canopy, minimise damage to soil, and careful removal of logs, together with cutting limits are some examples of how sustainable forestry can go together with conservation efforts.
  • Integrative forest management. This approach recognises forests as complex ecosystems with a wide range of functions such as water regulation, carbon storage, and the provision of habitats alongside the need for timber harvesting.

Summary

Timber harvesting and conservation can go together if done carefully. While it is a material with potentially positive impacts, it should still be used in line with the resource mitigation hierarchy to avoid excessive pressures on forest ecosystems, and meet global demand through low-impact forestry.

Do you have information about this material? Let us know!

Industry Solutions

IStructE

Example case studies of sustainable forestry.

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