Every year an area half the size of the UK is cleared of natural forests. These forests, which once covered half of the planet, are irreplaceable and their loss has profound economic, social and environmental impacts. Forests sustain sixty million indigenous people, countless species of plants and animals and support up to 1.6 billion of the poorest people in the world. Deforestation intensifies global warming and must be urgently and globally tackled.

FSC runs a global forest certification system allowing consumers to identify, purchase and use timber and forest products produced from responsibly managed forests. The products of deforestation can be found throughout the UK, from building sites to private homes. We think this is unacceptable and we exist to make sure people can buy timber and wood products with the confidence that they are contributing towards safeguarding the world’s forests.