Ten hectares of the world’s forests are destroyed every minute, amounting to 4.9 million hectares a year. Between 1990 and 2005, 72.9 million hectares of forest vanished. Forests cover a total surface area of 3.69 billion hectares, or 30% of the Earth’s land mass.
These are the latest figures published by the FAO on 30 November 2011, which also reveal that the rate of net loss of forested land is speeding up, rising from 4.1 million hectares between 1990 and 2000 to 6.4 million hectares between 2000 and 2005.

Sustainable forest management is one of the potential solutions to the difficulties currently afflicting these habitats rich in resources that are essential to the equilibrium of the planet.

The growing interest in social and environmental sustainability offers the forest industry an excellent opportunity to restructure itself. The FAO report “State of the World's Forests 2011” emphasises this point, and sets out opportunities for a greener economy offered by wood and wood products.
Wood is an excellent ecological material as long as it is not obtained through destructive practices. It is a healthy and natural material, lasts a long time, is a source of energy and is biodegradable. If correctly treated, it does not cause pollution and can be recycled.

The increasing need for companies to guarantee that the wood they use is sustainably sourced and managed, together with needs of forest owners, governments, customers and consumers to better understand this area, has led to forestry certification schemes being created and developed such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) programme and the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Schemes). Both programmes offer two certification schemes: Sustainable Forest Management relating to the use of forests and their land in a way that respects biodiversity and does not damage other ecosystems; and the Chain of Custody, a system that records all the stages of wood manufacture and distribution. The forest industry is also seeking to adopt the best sustainable practices, using waste materials for its products, increasing energy efficiency and reducing emissions.

Download image: Near Clementina, Los Rios, Ecuador Images COSMO-SkyMed © ASI, acquired on 13-14 January 2010

In 2010, 37% of total forest production came from recycled paper, woodchip and non-wood fibres.


More details:
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/forests-energy/index.htm
http://impreseperleforeste.wwf.it/normative-e-certificazioni/item/6-certificazioni-quali-e-perchè.html
http://www.clementinateak.com/home.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wz9rcFLApY

Download image: Near Clementina, Los Rios, Ecuador
Images COSMO-SkyMed © ASI, acquired on 13-14 January 2010