The sustainable management of the world’s forests is crucial to the long-term viability of the timber industry and, most importantly, the future of our environment. At Austim, we carry out due diligence on all timber products we purchase to ensure they come from legally logged and well-managed forests, with a strong focus on ensuring imported timber exceeds our standards.
Perth’s certified timber suppliers and Perth timber buyers benefited greatly in 2009 when Austim became ‘chain of custody’ certified by Australia’s two major internationally recognised agencies:
The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
Chain of custody certification allows us to sell products as FSC® or PEFC certified (but only where we have purchased them from a similarly certified source—the chain cannot be broken). Annual audits by third-party organisations are mandatory and ensure all requirements are upheld.
The number of species certified to such levels is continually increasing. If you need ‘certified’ timber or have a green star rated project, ask us and we’ll recommend the most suitable timber.
View Austim’s FSC® certificate
View Austim’s PEFC certificate
Need an environmentally responsible timber supplier? Perth chooses Austim. For sustainable solutions, from timber beams to recycled timber Perth wide, ask Austim today!
FSC® certification
A long-term vision
Austim’s vision is clear: the world’s forests are precious—we need them preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Purchasing FSC® certified products is a great way of ensuring that they are sourced from responsibly managed forests.
Who is FSC®?
FSC is an international not-for-profit organisation founded in 1993 by environmentalists, social interest groups, responsible retailers and leading forest companies. It aims to develop standards that ensure environmental, social and economic needs are balanced, and that long-term forest management plans are implemented. These standards are based on the ‘10 Principles for Forest Stewardship.’®
What happens when you purchase an FSC® certified product?
- Waterways are protected
- Wildlife habitat and species are protected or enhanced
- High conservation value forests are preserved
- Forest management practices are monitored annually
- Worker safety and wellbeing is enhanced
- The rights of Indigenous people are respected
FSC certification is carried out by FSC accredited certification bodies (auditors), which are internationally accredited and managed by an independent accreditation body. FSC itself does not certify forest operations or manufacturers. This maintains FSC‘s independence between its standards, requirements and operations seeking certification.
Need an environmentally responsible timber supplier? Perth chooses Austim.
For sustainable solutions, from timber cladding to joinery timbers, ask Austim today.
PEFC certification
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.
PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.
How PEFC works
PEFC is an umbrella organisation that works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions.
With over 30 endorsed national certification systems and more than 240 million hectares of certified forests, PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification system. Each national forest certification system undergoes rigorous third-party assessment against PEFC’s unique ‘Sustainability Benchmarks’ to ensure consistency with international requirements.
PEFC members
Today, PEFC includes 37 national certification systems among its membership; which is also open to international stakeholders such as civil society organisations, businesses, government entities and intergovernmental bodies. PEFC certification is also favoured by numerous public and private timber procurement policies worldwide.
Need an environmentally responsible timber supplier? Perth chooses Austim.
For sustainable solutions, from timber flooring to furniture timber, ask Austim today.
American forests
Outgrowing demand
American hardwoods derive from sustainably managed forests in the United States. Regular U.S. Forest Service inventories demonstrate that between 1953 and 2007, the volume of U.S. hardwood growing stock more than doubled from 5,210 million m3 to 11,326 million m3. There was a 15% increase in growing stock between 1997 and 2007, despite strong growth in demand for hardwoods during this period. U.S. Forest Service forecasts indicate that further increases of 15-20% are expected in the hardwood growing stock inventory by 2030. Projections of hardwood growth and removals nationwide indicate that growth will continue to exceed removals through to 2050.
Regulation in the U.S.
All forest owners in the United States are subject to Federal legislation to protect habitats for threatened species. Tough regulations governing other aspects of forest management on private land have been implemented by individual states. Independent studies indicate that there is a very low risk of any American hardwood being derived from illegal sources or from forests where management practices lead to deforestation or to otherwise threaten biodiversity.
Interesting facts about U.S. forests
- Only around 20% timberland and 30% hardwood timber inventory in U.S. hardwood-producing states is owned by federal, state or local governments the balance of nearly 80% of the timberland and 70% of hardwood timber inventory is privately owned
- Some four million individuals and other private entities own the 110 million hectares of hardwood and mixed oak-pine forest types
- American hardwoods derive from managed natural forests, which have high biodiversity, provide a habitat for a wide range of species, and are very resilient to fire and pests
- Fertile forest soils and favourable growing conditions in the U.S. mean that hardwood forests are most effectively renewed through natural regeneration
- Selection harvesting, involving the removal of specified individuals or small groups of trees, is typical in American hardwood forests.
Austim values a sustainable forest future for Australia, America and the world. For sustainable solutions, from timber joinery to hardwood flooring timber Perth wide, ask Austim today.
