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comment U.S. Hardwood Export Group Shows Sources Meet Legality Requirements
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Responding to growing international requirements for suppliers to document that their wood comes from legal sources, the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) released a report claiming to validate the legality of North American hardwood sources as a whole. While a trade association promoting hardwood exports might not be the most objective source on this question, the team of scientists behind the report lends it credibility.
The two major certification programs operating in Europe, the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, both have protocols for identifying regions that are low-risk for illegal supply. By establishing the U.S. as a low-risk region, AHEC aims to exempt American suppliers from having to prove the legality of their wood. Two potential problem areas—timber theft and wood that is imported from other countries and then re-exported by U.S. suppliers—were deemed to represent less than one percent of the trade.
The 250-page report, “Assessment of Lawful Harvesting & Sustainability of US Hardwood Exports,” is available online at www.ahec-europe.org.
This article originally appeared on BuildingGreen.com
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