The natural untidiness of a        Redgum forest

Where Do Our Non-Recycled Timbers Come From?

Our kiln-dried timbers are sourced from State Forests in NSW. The oldest stands of hardwood in these state forests are from natural regeneration after log harvesting and subsequent thinning. Advances in seed technology and mechanised planting have provided an impetus for plantation forms of forest since the 1980s. However, hardwood plantations are currently harvested only as pulplogs for the paper and fibreboard industries. They have no useful role as hardwood sawlogs milled for high-value uses such as flooring. There is an expectation that plantation forestry may play a significant role in coming decades. 

We support both sustainable forestry and waste minimisation. We have acted in concert with several mills in the state over the years to develop a Waste Minimisation Agenda, diverting kiln-dried hardwoods from low-value crate, pallet and structural destinies to high-value use as NFG (Natural Feature Grade) flooring. Today these lines are well established in the market and NFG has become a legitimate and credible grade.

Certification of Native Forests

Since late 2007, Forests NSW has been certified as compliant with the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) AS 4708 by independent audit against this internationally recognised forest management standard. To find out more about these criteria, visit the website:  www.dpi.nsw.gov.au  

Many of the native hardwood mills which supply our NFG and Rustic grade timbers have gained chain-of-custody accreditation stemming from this initiative. Stamped and certified packs of flooring are currently available from our Moolap showroom.

By modern forest management standards, State Forests are a good idea. In an earlier era, they replaced logged old-growth forests on difficult north coast terrain close to rivers, roads, settlements and mills. They were an early attempt to make log supply sustainable in days when these indicators were not diligently mapped. If they were a good idea then, they still are. Nothing in the meantime has changed to make State Forests a bad idea as a source of timber. No alternative supply of native species has become available. Importantly, had the land use following primary logging been grazing or agricultural, we would have been denied a valuable present timber resource..