WEBINAR / De-risking Timber Selection 

Melanie Robertson | CEO | FSC®

Stefan Jensen | Senior Policy Manager | FSC®

With an estimated annual value of US$52 billion to $157 billion, illegal logging is believed to be the third-biggest illicit market globally, fueling environmental devastation and social injustice.

This stands in stark contrast to increasing legality and sustainability in the built environment in the UK and beyond and threatens to undermine the transition to a sustainable and net-zero economy.

Hear from FSC on how their world-leading certification system gives you an assurance of legality and sustainability and learn how you can identify and verify suppliers of FSC-certified material to ensure you source genuinely legal and sustainable materials.

Learning outcomes:

• Gain an understanding of what FSC is
• Increased awareness of forest product legality and sustainability
• Understand best practices for incorporating sustainable wood products into building projects
• Learn how to use FSC's online database to find and verify legally and sustainably sourced forest products
• Understand the latest development to curb illegal and unsustainable forestry practices, including the newest technological advances and how FSC works in conflict zones like Ukraine, Russia and Myanmar

Speaker bio:

Melanie has been the CEO of FSC® Australia and New Zealand (FSC® ANZ) for the past 2.5 years. She came to the organisation with extensive corporate leadership experience spanning not-for-profit organisations, government, and for-profit organisations in the health and renewable energy sector. In her role as CEO, Melanie is responsible for driving FSC® ANZ’s strategic direction, strengthening stakeholder relationships, and advancing FSC®’s mission in the region.

Sustainable forestry has been at the core of Stefan's work throughout his career. His experience spans researching community forestry in East Africa, supporting Indigenous communities in Central America with FSC®-certified sustainable forestry, and advocating for sustainability requirements in public and private procurement in Denmark. A former Deputy Chair of FSC Denmark, Stefan has been with FSC® ANZ for over five years. As FSC® ANZ's Senior Policy Manager, he is responsible for ensuring that FSC®'s forest management standards in Australia and New Zealand continue to maintain relevance and impact. He has also contributed to the development of timber legality legislation in the EU, Australia, and New Zealand and has extensive experience with FSC®'s integrity work worldwide.

Gareth Davies | Head of Technical and R & D | Russwood

Exterior Timber Cladding - Choosing Sustainable and Durable Timber

Learning outcomes:

• Understanding Timber Durability: Explore the importance of selecting naturally durable species, excluding sapwood, and ensuring proper grading for long-lasting timber cladding.
• Sustainability and Sourcing: The challenges of sustainably sourcing durable species, the benefits of certifications (e.g. FSC), the limitations and availability of exotic timbers.

• Performance Factors: A discussion on how moisture content, movement, and stability influence the service life and performance of timber cladding in exterior applications.
• Softwood and Chemical Treatments: Understand the uses of fast-grown commercial softwoods, the benefits of this material availability for many applications, their durability, and the implications of chemical treatments for exterior use.
• Timber Modification Innovations: Discover the benefits of thermal modification as a sustainable exterior timber, including its enhanced durability, stability, and examples like Russwood’s Abodo products.

Speaker bio:

Gareth provides technical advice to clients, specifiers, and colleagues on technical matters concerning wood science, coatings, fire retardants, fixings, and more. Gareth recently completed the Level 4 Certificate in Wood Science and Timber Technology with the ‘highest score in the course history’ demonstrating his extensive knowledge of timber and the built environment.