New Zealand policy to address illegal logging and associated trade
Responsible buying guidelines
Consumers have one of the most powerful and important roles in addressing illegal logging and related trade. It is difficult for illegal practices to carry on without willing buyers to purchase illegally harvested, processed and traded wood products. We must all play a part in choosing to buy only wood products that are from legal and sustainable sources.
Five tips for buying legal timber and wood products in New Zealand (in no particular order)
- Buy New Zealand timber or wood products. New Zealand timber is harvested and processed according to well-enforced environmental laws. Therefore, New Zealand consumers can generally assume that products produced from New Zealand forests are legal and sustainable.
- Check to see if the timber or wood product carries documentation that verifies compliance with a reputable forestry management standard or certification scheme.
- Buy timber or wood products that are made from recycled or used product.
- Ask the supplier where the wood has come from. Do they know if it has been legally produced, harvested and traded? What supporting evidence can they produce?
- Ask your supplier if they have a responsible timber and wood purchasing policy in which they seek to only buy legally harvested timber and wood-products. For example, for imported products, the supplier may belong to the Imported Tropical Timber Group which is an industry-environmental group that has a specific policy around sourcing legal and sustainable timber and wood products.
For information on certification schemes please see Certification and other means of identifying legal and sustainable timber products.
Contact for Enquiries
Senior Policy Analyst
Forest Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0678
Fax: +64 4 894 0745
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