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Focus on Forests (text version)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

It may seem that the best way of not contributing to tropical – or any other – deforestation is not to buy wood. But, as you have seen, if people stop buying wood, there will be one less way for forest dwellers to make a living from their forests and one more reason for them and their governments to allow the forests to be cut down to make way for farming, ranching, plantations, mining…

So you could:
Persuade people in your household who buy furniture or DIY materials to go for those with the FSC label.
Do an audit of your school and find out where wooden items come from. Schools use an awful lot of wood! Find out who is responsible for such purchases and ask for a meeting with them to discuss the issues. You could prepare a brief paper outlining the facts and your arguments to present to them first.
Like schools, local authorities have huge purchasing power. Find out if your local council has any relevant buying policies, and again, if not, try to convince them.
Contact your local furniture and DIY stores. If they don’t yet have a policy for buying and supplying wood and wood products from sustainable sources, try to persuade them. If they are already signed up to the principles, how much do they advertise it or try to educate their customers?
Find out more about the issues to back up your arguments.
Join or support one of the organisations who are working for sustainable forestry. The more people who are campaigning, the more likely it is the voices will be listened to.
Write to your local MP expressing your concern and asking the Government to take a leading role in forest conservation.

This site is funded by DFID and has been produced by the World Land Trust.