Fostering Technology to Protect Forests - Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

The problem: Timber is a very heavily used commodity which creates a high demand for it in the market. Some of the more commonly used species are now endangered or procured from regions that face sanctions. However, due to their popularity, procurement practices of these species are dubious and often illegal.
The need of the hour: Trace the origins of timber used to manufacture products from risky species (endangered or illegal sources).
IMPORTANT MESSAGE: The core of FSC’s certification system is based on the belief that when forests are responsibly managed, timber is a renewable resource. Therefore, FSC’s mission is to promote sustainable and responsible management of the world’s forests, which includes responsible logging practices and sustainable supply chain management.
Tracing the origins of timber products that use these risky species will enable FSC to protect the integrity of the system and hold wrongdoers accountable.
The solution: There are several scientific and technology-based solutions to determine and trace timber, such as Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA), DNA testing, Wood Anatomy Testing, Trace Elements Testing, etc. Different technologies of wood identification are chosen/used depending on the purpose of these examinations. “Each type serves its own purpose”.
Presently, FSC is exploring the potential of using Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis (SIRA) to identify, trace, and verify the provenance of timber flowing through its supply chains - from source to the market shelves. Using the science behind Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis, the isotope profiles of samples collected from manufacturers can be compared against reference samples to confirm if the declared area of origin matches are accurate.
For example: you take a sample from a warehouse that claims to be birch harvested in Romania, we would only test that sample against the reference data for birch in Romania. The test results will indicate whether it is a match or not.
FSC is collaborating with World Forest ID and other partners (including prominent research and testing laboratories) to contribute to a library of the isotope profiles of timber species from across the world. The development of this library is well underway. Reference samples from various places across the world have been collected and the isotope profiles have been recorded. Many of the reference samples have been collected from FSC certified forests in Romania and Gabon.
In the future, FSC is considering using the isotope profiles of timber collected from certificate holders and compare them against the reference isotope profiles recorded in the global reference library at World Forest ID.
With this method of verification, FSC will be able to detect alleged fraud by ensuring that a CH’s claims about their timber’s origin are true, and to protect the integrity of its supply chains, by confirming the origins of timber used in certified products.
fsc.org/en