Wood is a uniquely renewable
building material
New Zealand's planted Douglas-fir forests are managed sustainably, producing renewable supplies of excellent quality building materials, while encouraging biological diversity, providing recreational opportunities and delivering clean water.
Forest growers respect and care for our environment.
New Zealand Forest Accord
In 1991 New Zealand forest growers and environmental, conservation and outdoor groups signed the New Zealand Forest Accord which promotes plantation forests as a sustainable source of timber while removing the harvest pressure off our precious native forests. By choosing plantation grown Douglas-fir timber you encourage the creation and cultivation of more forests to supply for such demand. You also take the pressure off our remaining native and tropical forests alike.
Douglas–fir in New Zealand
There are over 112,000 hectares of Douglas-fir plantations in New Zealand. New Zealand has the third largest area of Douglas–fir behind France and Germany, outside of the Pacific Northwest.
It is commonly harvested at between 40 and 50 years old, much older than Radiata Pine, which helps it deliver much higher stiffness and strength properties. Following harvesting the land is replanted with young vigorous seedlings which not only renews the plantation but adds substantially to the benefits of using wood. And because it is grown locally there are much less CO2 emissions required to get the product to you unlike steel which is produced at one location or imported.
The Carbon Cycle
Using sustainably grown timber benefits the planet, by taking advantage of the Carbon cycle. Growing trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, effectively removing the carbon and releasing the oxygen that we all breathe. Planting new forests creates carbon "sinks" Harvesting these forests and using the timber creates carbon stores while replanting these forests repeats the cycle. Remember that wood is the only building material that is truly renewable.
It's simple really. The more wood we use the more we help mitigate climate change while offering a bright future of sustainable development.