FSC Wood for Dummies

There’s no doubt about it, eco-friendly wood is all the rage. There are a lot of companies out there promoting ipe, teak, tigerwood and other domestic and exotic hardwoods as eco-friendly. This leads to a dilemma; how can consumers find lumber companies that are truly dedicated to sustainable forestry practices and the production of eco-friendly wood? As the general public becomes more environmentally conscious, we must not be quick to believe anything labeled organic, eco-friendly, and/or environmentally safe. After all, it’s one thing to merely say, or promote yourself as eco-friendly; it’s another to actually live and form habits that are designed to promote an eco-friendly lifestyle and economy. This is true whether you are buying ipe decking, tigerwood flooring, or even composite decking.

To put it simply, companies are trying to cash into the green building revolution by simply putting a banner on their website stating that they offer eco-friendly wood. These companies believe that consumers will go to them, see their website and say, “That’s it. I’ve found the perfect place to buy my eco-friendly decking. My search is over!” However, one thing that these companies fail to realize is that homeowners are not as naïve as previously hoped. In fact, thanks to the Internet, homeowners and builders alike are weeding out those companies who are not committed to sustainable wood and forestry practices.

Finding eco-friendly lumber companies is easier than ever thanks to organizations such as The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). These organizations are dedicated to ensuring that the forests and rainforests where many of these woods come from are preserved and taken care of for generations to come. The Forest Stewardship Council also has a strict set of policies and forestry procedures that must be followed to the letter. For example, if a direct importer of ipe decking wants to harvest some ipe lumber from a managed forest, the FSC will specially designate which trees are to be used, and which are to be left in place. In addition, the FSC could also require that a FSC Certified lumber company also harvest some other hardwood such as cumaru, or garapa. The FSC mandates forestry practices like these in order to balance out the environment. Only then can that ipe decking receive FSC Certification.

As you can see, there are valid and reliable non-profit resources that are able to adequately provide decking materials that can truly be called eco-friendly. Homeowners and builders who want to work with lumber companies that are FSC Certified can do so without worrying about being manipulated. A couple of lumber companies that fit the mold are Advantage Trim & Lumber Company and Ipe Depot. Before they received their FSC Certification, they were already a leader in promoting managed forests and sustainable forestry practices. Advantage Trim & Lumber Company and Ipe Depot don’t just say that they’re eco-friendly, they actually go out of their way to make sure that all of their wood and not just their inventory of FSC ipe and other FSC Wood is eco-friendly.