Orangutans and the Rainforest

Items to Avoid:

Plywood | Dowels | Rayon | Palm Oil | Hardwoods | Primate Pets | What You Can Do

Exotic Hardwoods: Teak, Ebony, Sandalwood or Ironwood

Some 10 percent of the world’s remaining tropical forest is found in Indonesia, which has a total forest area of more than 225 million acres. Of this, 61 percent is lowland evergreen broadleaf rainforest. Indonesia has already lost an estimated 72 percent of its original frontier forest, and half of what remains is currently threatened. Only about 21 percent of Indonesia’s forests are protected.

Indonesian teak, ironwood, ebony and sandalwood are slow-growing hardwood trees. The sustainability of these species depends on their careful and restrained management. SmartWood/RainforestAlliance, an accredited certifier of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has certified several teak plantations in Java, Indonesia, as well as several manufacturers that process certified wood for teak furniture. Certified teak does not destroy or replace natural rainforest teak from Burma, Thailand and Laos. Instead, it is grown and harvested from well-managed, sustained-yield plantations. More information on SmartWood.

Be very cautious about ever buying a rainforest hardwood. Though woods like mahogany, teak, rosewood, etc are beautiful, they may have been harvested illegally. Buying antiques is a good way of “recycling” these beautiful woods without creating consumer pressure to harvest more rainforest exotic wood.

What is SmartWood?

Initiated in 1989, SmartWood was the first and is now the most extensive forestry certification program in existence. SmartWood is a program of the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit environmental group based in New York City. The program, which consists of collaborating nonprofit certification organizations, works in all forest types worldwide.

SmartWood provides independent, objective evaluation of forest management practices and companies that process, manufacture and/or sell certified forest products, enabling the public to identify products and practices that promote sustainable forest development. SmartWood certification assures that forestry practices maintain the vitality and functioning of the ecosystems, and protect the balance and diversity of the native species of the forest land. The SmartWood Program has been accredited for natural forest management certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an internationally recognized institution that develops standards for forestry certification programs worldwide. SmartWood certification is voluntary, and all producers of timber and companies processing or selling forest products from certified forest management operations are eligible to apply for certification. Through certification, and use of the SmartWood label, the program provides a market incentive for forest managers to adopt sustainable forestry practices. Candidate management operations may include a natural forest, a plantation, a large commercial operation, a public land holding or a small-scale community project. Companies that process, manufacture or sell products made from certified wood are also candidates for certification.

SmartWood has certified a number of manufacturers and wholesalers as non-exclusive Chain of Custody companies, which means these companies are authorized to buy, produce and sell SmartWood and FSC-labeled products as well as non-labeled products.

  • 80% of furniture manufacturers and 60% of cabinet manufacturers are willing to buy certified wood;
  • 60% of hardwood and 50% of softwood buyers will pay more for certified wood;
  • 42% of timber product retailers have already requested information on certified wood; and,
  • 40% of timber product retailers are willing to pay a 10% premium for certified products.

Consumers buy certified wood:

  • Because certified forests are among the best managed forests on earth, using cutting-edge forestry techniques;
  • To ensure that ancient forests have not been cut, pesticide use has been minimized, and soil and water quality have been maintained;
  • To contribute to the preservation of forests and wildlife worldwide; and,
  • Because nearly one-third of all customers say that a company’s responsible business practices is a most important factor in deciding to buy a brand or service, according to a recent Cone/Roper consumer survey.

As the world’s population grows, the demand for both timber and non-timber forest products will increase. How the remaining forest lands are managed will greatly determine whether in the future we can accommodate the needs of the human populace, and at the same time, conserve the diminishing wealth of the world’s resources.

Timber production, when managed effectively, maintains the long-term productivity of commercial forests, protects biodiversity, and provides a continuous stream of social and economic benefits. Well-managed forestry dramatically reduces the negative impact of logging on the health and structure of forest systems, and can actually improve the value and yield of residual timber. The implications — in terms of ecological, economic and regional stability — are far reaching.

To the Top