Clear majority for increased use of wood

by Michael Smith, RFA, EcoFor

Image Barometer Forest & Wood 2008 (a German thing) shows positive influence of the nationwide information campaign as regards to sustainable forestry and wood usage.

The reputation of the German forestry and timber industry has inreased considerably during 2008. This is the conclusion to which the “Image Barometer Forest & Wood”, a topical nationwide poll of the IFAK Instituts für Markt- und Sozialforschung, has come.

Of all those questioned 42% stated that they were aware of the sustainability of the forest industry, a definite 12% increase over the previous year.

74% of all those questioned see the sustainable use of woods and forests something in which Germany leads other countries. Whether this is so or not is another question, for sure. Then again, forestry as we know it today, basically originated in Germany.

Another noticeable finding is that more than two-thirds – namely 70% - are convinced that the concerns, needs and interest of environmental protection and that of nature protection are compatible and reconcilable with the commercial management of woods and forests.

Aside from the fact that that is the way that the German people see it thus it is also the fact that this is the truth. Commercial forestry, in fact, is a protector of the forests and woods as and ecological entity.

Those results, so said Dirk Alfter, the chairman of the Holzabsatzfond, that those results are a clear confirmation that the education campaign as regards to sustainable forestry and usage of wood is bearing fruit and that has given the public fact-based information regarding commercial forestry and lumber usage.

The link between forests and protection of the climate is something that the great majority of all those questioned were aware of; 98% of all questioned are convinced – rightly so – that the forests have a positive influence as regards to the prevention of climate change. Furthermore about 61% of all of those questioned were aware that the use of wood in favor of other materials is beneficial as regards to the protection of the climate, such as in the building of homes. More than 59% said that they would be happy to buy wood in preference of other materials in order to do their bit for the environment.

It is a shame that in many countries of Europe, while the majority of the people are getting the message, those that claim to be environmentalists often have a strange attitude towards forestry and the timber industry, often go so far as to say that all commercial forestry and wood usage has to stop and all woodlands and forests have to be returned to their natural state.

In Britain this issue surfaces again and again when it comes to the “old” woodlands than have not been managed for some time, such as some old coppice woods.

Those supposed knowledgeable green people then go on record to say that those wood are “ancient” woods – ancient as in never having been worked before – and should be left to Nature and for her to do with as it would.

The problem is that in Britain there are no such things as primeval woods. All woodlands have been worked at some time in the past and those coppice woods need to be worked now or we will – in fact – lose them, as those coppice stools will simple start to break apart and that will be the end of that wood.

The additional fact is that wood rotting on the forest floor, as will be the case with those trees as and when they break apart, will immediately release CO2 into the air and while this will only be the CO2 that the trees have fixed during their lifespan it could still be held in that same wood if those trees would be worked and used for something beneficial.

The same is also true for all debris left on the forest floor, as is now common – for the wildlife – and all those so-called habitat piles, many of which are a higgledy-piggledy trown about almost. The story of leaving habitat piles is becoming an excuse for bad forestry practice and lazy woodland management.

© M Smith (Veshengro), January 2009
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