Eco Friendly Garden Wood Furniture

Posted by admin on

October 2, 2008

It is surprising to think that only 8% of the remaining forest and woodlands left in the world are regulated and protected against over management. The timber industry is worth millions every year and some of the most popular timbers for garden and interior furniture, including teak and mahogany, are actually among the most endangered wood species in the world.

Beech is also a popular wood for garden furniture, but many of the supplies used in the UK are imported from France, whose regulation certifications are far lower than the normal Forest Stewardship Council (FCS) standards. Also a large amount of beech is imported from countries like Poland and Armenia, who do not regulate the cutting of their ancient woodlands. It has been estimated that Armenia cut down and export over 1 million cubic metres of trees annually, a rate which will soon see the complete demise of all of their native forest landscapes.

It is important when buying garden furniture to check that the timber is protected, and has been sourced from a FSC certificated woodland. This will ensure that even if you are buying one of the more endangered species, the woodland that it comes from is properly managed with sustainable levels of production. Also it is important that you check where the wood is sourced from. Many countries such as Malaysia and Burma have production and exportation levels that exceed the amount of resources available, and so much of the timber sold from these places is actually illegally smuggled in from other protected areas, such as many Indonesian forests.

Also you can now buy furniture that is made from recycled wood, in other words timber that has already been used and would have normally been sent to landfill. Furniture makers source and reclaim items such as old cable reels, flooring, beams, and railway sleepers and an additional benefit of this is that the timber is already seasoned and mature, and is normally of a high quality, sturdy grain. You can find some stylish examples of eco friendly reclaimed garden furniture at online shops too.