In both the developed and the developing world, forests are being cleared to make way for other uses – whether housing developments, cattle grazing, or subsistence agriculture. Around the world, original (old-growth) forests are shrinking and species extinction rates are mounting as habitat disappears. Deforestation in the tropics has been identified as the second-largest source – after the energy sector – of human-caused emissions of the greenhouse gases that threaten climatic stability. In most places, irresponsible logging compromises the health and integrity of forest ecosystems, soils, and waterways. In many areas of the developing world, illegal logging is rampant.

Sustainable forestry is key to halting global forest degradation and deforestation. Well-managed plantations that are not established at the expense of natural forest can divert pressure from the latter while providing fast-growing wood fiber for a variety of applications. Truly responsible natural forest management – and markets for ecological forest products – provide incentives to local people and companies to preserve the forest as forest, managing some areas for the full range of values, and leaving others intact as biological and ecological preserves.

Truly sustainable forestry has social and economic as well as environmental components. Well-managed forestry operations take into account ecosystem health, habitat for wild flora and fauna, environmentally-sensitive areas, the rights of local communities, and water and soil quality. They generally have long-term tenure to their lands and are committed to maintaining current patterns of land-use.

In some countries and regions of the world – Scandinavia and much of the hardwood region of the U.S., for example – forest management practices are generally quite good. As noted above, many countries and regions have poor records, but even in these countries many individual forestry operations are as well-managed as any in the world.

In the end, there is no assurance that your wood comes from well-managed sources unless it comes from a forest that has been certified by a credible forest certification program