Thank you Amsterdamse Bos
for choosing tropical timber
And thank you for taking the time to listen to the story behind tropical wood.
Listen now: Climate Optimist Maartje Bregman Explains
It may seem surprising, but the more houses, gardens, bridges, fences, furniture, piers, billboards, and boulevards we create here from FSC-certified tropical wood, the more tropical forests we can preserve there.
Amsterdamse Bos and FSC
Sustainability is an important objective of the City of Amsterdam and of Amsterdamse Bos. That is why we use as much Amsterdam wood as possible in projects across the city. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for every application. This has to do with the durability class of the wood, in other words, how well it resists fungi and bacteria when in direct contact with the ground. If it is not possible to use Amsterdam wood or other native wood for a project, the municipality chooses FSC certified hardwood. The City of Amsterdam has for many years been one of the frontrunners in protecting forests by using FSC certified tropical wood, and Amsterdamse Bos itself is also FSC certified.
“Where possible, we leave the trunks of trees we fell or that blow over, because that benefits nature. Deadwood is good for biodiversity. The soft, warm wood of dead trees is a source of life for many species of insects and fungi. It also offers shelter and a good place to build a nest. The trunks that cannot remain in place are brought back into the city. The municipality processes the wood in a sustainable way and gives it a new purpose in municipal projects such as fences and façade cladding.”
Elvira Vreeswijk – Manager Amsterdamse Bos
“It sounds contradictory, but felling trees can be what protects the forest. The principles of FSC ensure the forest remains protected and that the needs of people and animals are represented. By using tropical hardwood you not only get a natural product with excellent properties, you also help make the world a little better.”
Collin Timmer – Commercial technical advisor at Van den Berg Hardhout
“By using FSC certified tropical hardwood we prevent deforestation and have created a sustainable, low maintenance furniture line: ‘Lord of the Rings’. A line with a unique experience, inspired by the grass snake for which Amsterdamse Bos has created an ecological corridor, with nature friendly banks, ponds and wildlife crossings.”
Minka Haverkorn of Buitenom – Public space design
The design of the furniture is inspired by the grass snake, the largest snake in the Netherlands. Amsterdamse Bos has created a suitable habitat for this snake by building vegetated banks. This furniture, including a raised seat, a rotating sun or spotlight chair and a floating object, forms the thrones of the Lord, as an ode to the grass snake. The furniture can be found at the Ringvaart and the Nieuwe Meer. Read more about the design process here.
Want to know more about the use of tropical wood, FSC, and tropical forests?
Listen to what researcher Joeri Zwerts and Mark Kemna from FSC Netherlands have to say about it.
Also listen: Maartje Bregman in conversation with researcher Joeri Zwerts
Does the use of tropical wood contribute to biodiversity?
Also listen: Maartje Bregman in conversation with Mark Kemna from FSC Netherlands
Is the use of tropical wood a solution to deforestation?
Campaign: ‘Wood here, forest there’
The shelters by the artistically designed pier and seating areas in Amsterdamse Bos are part of the multi year campaign ‘Here Wood, There Forest’. With this campaign FSC Netherlands wants to raise awareness of everyone’s influence on protecting tropical forests.
As part of the campaign, FSC launched an online knowledge platform (www.hierhoutdaarbos.nl) with the most common questions and beliefs about tropical wood, along with facts and arguments. In this way, FSC aims to increase awareness of our own role in forest protection. By putting projects like this one in Amsterdamse Bos and earlier the WEC in the spotlight, FSC hopes to inspire and motivate other organizations to follow their example.
Click on the various topics on the right side of this page to test your knowledge about tropical wood.
“We often notice that people choose not to use tropical wood in an effort to protect tropical forests. But responsible timber harvesting is never the cause of deforestation. By choosing FSC-certified (tropical) wood, sustainable forest management is rewarded. As a result, there is no financial incentive to convert the forest into agricultural land, such as soy plantations or cattle ranches. This means the forest can remain intact.”
Wyke Smit – Director of FSC Netherlands