The truth about tropical hardwoods: addressing the misconceptions and supporting the new wave of sustainably managed forests

Written by

01 October 2024

 • 

7 min read

banner
When it comes to tropical hardwoods, there is a lot of information about deforestation and environmental destruction. ArchiPro caught up with Malcolm Scott, an advocate of sustainable forestry at JSC, to weed out the misconceptions and learn more about sourcing ethical tropical timber.
Visiting the sustainably managed forests that JSC works with is one way to ensure transparency and healthy relationships with the forestry team.
These forests adopt RFM (Responsible Forest Management) practices, establishing logging rotations to take about 4 or 5 stems per 35 years, and engage in minimum impact logging techniques to ensure a secure regenerating forest.
Malcolm Scott, advocate for sustainable forestry at JSC, visits one of the sustainably managed forests in South America. Thanks to New Zealand businesses like JSC, who buy tropical timber only from third-party certified sources, Scott says New Zealand importers are leading the way towards a sustainable forestry resurgence.
This map displays the layout of the blocks and the specific areas being managed. The numbered sections, such as "338" in the highlighted yellow box, correspond to particular areas of the forest designated for harvest. The tree with the number “216” on the map also indicates its exact location within the block. This systematic numbering ensures a traceable and verifiable process.
Here we see the tree in Block 338 marked with a "Chain of Custody" tag, ensuring that the timber logging is done in line with sustainable practices. The number “216” is reflected both on the map and on this tree, indicating precise traceability. This tag guarantees compliance with forest management regulations, supporting transparency and sustainability throughout the supply chain.
Garapa is a dense, naturally durable hardwood, ideally suited for exterior decking. JSC Premium Garapa is FSC® certified and sourced from sustainably harvested forests in South America.
The wood’s natural resistance to decay, moisture, and insect attack makes these timbers a reliable option for both residential and commercial applications, plus they require minimal maintenance over time which means you can avoid the use of man-made chemicals.
"Supporting and specifying sustainably harvested tropical timber and timber products is critical if the tropical forests of the world are to survive in perpetuity."