Forests Products
Our lives are filled with things we get from trees. The wooden furniture, flooring and framing that make up our homes are obvious. Wooden bats, hockey sticks and tool handles are clearly products from trees.
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Buy Wood Products
In a Nutshell:- Shop for sustainable wood products
- Buy native trees from PA growers
- Search for wood by-products made in PA
Look for certified wood when buying something for your next project. Consumers buying certified products can be assured that their purchase comes from a forest responsibly managed.
- The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-profit, non-government organization. It was founded in 1993 by a diverse group of representatives from environmental and conservation groups, the timber industry, the forestry profession, indigenous peoples' organizations, community forestry groups and forest product certification organizations from 25 countries. Use the FSC database to search for retailers, manufacturers and distributors of certified wood products.
- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is an independent, charitable organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. SFI works with conservation groups, local communities, resource professionals, landowners, and countless other organizations and individuals interested in responsible forest management. SFI’s certification standard is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and forests with exceptional conservation value. To access SFI’s certified products database, click here.
- Pennsylvania’s state forests are one of a select few state forest systems in the country certified as “well-managed.” For the 12th consecutive year, Pennsylvania's management of its 2.2 million acres of state forest lands has met or exceeded the standards for environmentally responsible stewardship. The Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Program verified that the Commonwealth's operations in state forests comply with the principles and criteria developed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Click here for more information about Pennsylvania state forests’ “well managed” certification.
Buy native trees from PA growers
Pennsylvania has dozens of nurseries that specialize in native species. Larger scale nurseries are beginning to stock more natives as consumer demand continues to rise. Be sure to ask your favorite nursery to specialize in trees and other plant materials that are grown here and are native to PA. For a list of some of those nurseries, go to: http://www.iconservepa.org/buynatives.html
Search for by-products from PA forests
Pennsylvania is a forest state. Over 10 percent of the state's manufacturing workforce is involved in the forest products industry. There are over 3,000 separate businesses involved in the forest products industry, with a presence in every county of the Commonwealth. You can help support these businesses by looking for Pennsylvania forest products and by-products.
- Maple syrup: The production of maple syrup has been a part of Pennsylvania’s history since its founding. Before Europeans arrived, Native Americans collected maple sap and boiled it down into maple sugar. Native Americans taught this skill to the newcomers and through colonial times maple sugar was an important sweetener. As tropical cane sugar became abundant and cheap, maple sugar producers switched to the production of syrup. Today most people enjoy maple syrup on pancakes, waffles, and French toast. It is a pure, all-natural product from Pennsylvania’s woods. Look for it when you shop. Find more information on maple syrup in Pennsylvania, including where you can buy it.
- If you live in northeastern Pennsylvania, check out the Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s WoodNet, a publication of the Shop Local, Save Land campaign. This publication will help link you to sources of local wood and forest products.
- Artisan crafts: Many artisans in the state rely on their nearby forests to craft wood sculptures, ornaments, furniture, picture frames and much more with Pennsylvania hard and soft woods. In the Pennsylvania Wilds, the artisans have bonded together to promote their wares, many of which rely on the millions of acres of woods that surround them. Learn more>
