The American Wood Council announced the launch of an online Wood Sourcing Tool designed to provide insight into the sustainability of wood products.
The new tool and database, funded by the Softwood Lumber Board and U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, shares wood products’ “sustainability story” using data based on a certain product’s mill grade stamp or region.
The site assesses sustainability based on three categories: Non-Controversial, Responsible and Certified, providing different assurances of the practices that take place in the forests the wood originated from and the manufacturing site.
“The sourcing data on the site is based on the ASTM D7612-21 standard, which offers a robust and objective framework for identifying wood product sources,” AWC said in a statement. “Fiber sourcing data is provided by AWC member companies with manufacturing facilities in the United States and is updated on an annual basis, with 2021 data the most recent available and shown on the site.”
The site also offers sustainable forestry and regional facts about wood sourcing to provide “a broader understanding about the wood products being used in buildings across the country.”
“As questions around the sustainability of fiber supply continues to grow alongside interest in mass timber in commercial construction, this online Wood Sourcing Tool promises to provide regional, robust data that will provide assurances being sought by the architect, engineering and construction communities,” AWC Vice President of Markets & Sustainability Rachael Jamison said in a statement.
