Illegally logged wood

A report release in November 2005 revealed that Britain imports more illegally logged timber and products made from illegally logged wood than any other EU country. It is estimated that the UK imports 2.2 million cubic meters of illegally logged wood. This is the equivalent to an area three times that of Wales.

Illegal logging has a huge impact on the earth's ability to combat global warming and contributes significantly to climate change. It also has wide ranging implication for local communities and loss of endangered species.

The reasons to avoid products (furniture, toys, floors etc.) made from illegally logged wood are therefore many. Consumers can make a real impact by only buying products that carry the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo. The FSC certifies that the wood comes from a sustainable source and not a tropical rain forest in the third world.

The FSC has confirmed that most building suppliers have a good track record of selling certified wood products, though Wolseley recently was caught selling illegally logged wood products from the rain forest of Papua New Guinea, via mills in China.