Street Furniture

THE SEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS: IS TIMBER THE KEY?

We all want to protect the earth and its resources for generations to come, so using sustainable materials is now a high priority for us personally and professionally. Here, All Urban talks to PSBJ about the use of timber in our urban landscapes.

There are multiple materials to choose from nowadays but one that has been around since the beginning is wood. It is a natural resource that can be repurposed due to its density and longevity. But where is it coming from? How is it treated? And most importantly, is it sustainable? These have all become key questions when considering wood as a material in the urban landscape.

One of its benefits is that it comes from and returns to the ground, and in production, (i.e. growing) trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. Plus, compared to other materials, very little processing is needed to turn the tree into something else. This means fewer emissions are produced through manufacturing.

Many types of wood can be reused but what we really need is longevity, which means using hardwearing, weatherresistant wood with a high rot resistance. With its fast-growing and well-maintained forests, Accoya is becoming an increasingly popular choice. As a Gold Cradle to Cradle-certified product, Accoya is fully biodegradable and, at the end of its life, it can be disposed of in the same way as untreated wood, or preferably reused and recycled for different purposes. Accoya, which is made from Radiata Pine, is described as having “minimal environmental impact throughout its entire life”.

Accoya is sourced from fast-growing, sustainably-certified forests, meaning they are well managed, continuously replenished, and no damage is caused to the surrounding environment, or to native flora and fauna when harvesting the timber.

An even more eco-friendly option is to use local timber. Low-impact forestry and sawmills can be right on your doorstep. Local timber removal, by a tree surgeon, for example, is happening for a reason and not just for production.

Dominic Bailey, Director of DB Tree Care, an Arboricultural Association-approved tree surgeon, comments: “A really sustainable option for wood is locally-grown sources. People and companies looking to source timber with a low-carbon footprint should simply contact their local tree surgeons or small-scale foresters. Many have their own milling service and might be right on your doorstep. Lots of people don’t know this is even an option when it comes to making things such as furniture.”

Forestry, when done correctly, is beneficial to woodlands. It can’t just be planted and left to its own devices, as this allows it to become too dense. Managed and thinned woodland encourages biodiversity and opens pockets of light to allow smaller flowers and other trees to develop which might not have had a chance beforehand.

Whilst using local timber may be one of the most sustainable options, it isn’t without its challenges and isn’t readily available for mass use just yet. Perhaps one day this will be the new norm but for now, at least, choosing sustainable timber, such as Accoya, is going to be much better for the environment.  www.allurban.co.uk