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Sustainable forest management ensures that wood production is carried out responsibly, promoting biodiversity conservation, ecosystem protection, and sustainable development. This process involves planned practices that balance forest resource use with environmental preservation and the well-being of local communities.

Main objectives of Sustainable Forest Management:

Ensure Sustainability

Controlled logging to prevent predatory deforestation

Preserve Biodiversity

Protection of fauna and flora species within forest management areas

Protect Soils and Water Resources

Implementation of practices that prevent ecosystem degradation

Benefit Local Communities

Promotion of jobs and sustainable economic development

Comply with Environmental Standards and Certifications

Adoption of recognized regulations such as FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC

Sustainable forest management is essential to ensure that the wood used in industry comes from legal and environmentally responsible sources, reducing negative impacts and promoting a more balanced future for the planet.

Sustainable forest management is a carefully planned process that allows the responsible use of forest resources while ensuring their preservation for future generations.

Key steps:

01.

Forest inventory
A detailed survey of tree species, timber volume, fauna, flora, and terrain characteristics is conducted. This step is essential to understand the forest’s potential.

02.

Harvest planning
Determines which trees may be cut and how the extraction will take place, minimizing environmental impact. Access roads and protection zones are also planned.

03.

Selective and controlled logging
Only authorized trees are cut, using techniques that avoid damage to the ecosystem, soil, and neighboring trees.

04.

Monitoring and protection
Continuous monitoring ensures natural regeneration, fire prevention, pest control, and compliance with good practices.

05.

Reforestation or natural regeneration
In some areas, new trees are planted; in others, natural regeneration is allowed to occur.

06.

Involvement of local communities
Local populations are involved in the process, promoting employment, social development, and the value of traditional knowledge.

07.

Environmental certification
Sustainable forest management can be certified by entities such as FSC® or PEFC, ensuring sustainable, legal, and socially responsible practices.

Sustainable forest management guarantees that wood is of legal, sustainable, and traceable origin, contributing to biodiversity protection and the fight against illegal deforestation.

Certified wood comes from forests managed in a sustainable, legal, and responsible manner, based on clearly defined environmental, social, and economic criteria. This wood is audited by recognized independent entities such as FSC® or PEFC.

Certified Wood:

  • Guarantees legal and sustainable origin
  • Protects biodiversity and ecosystems
  • Promotes the well-being of local communities
  • Complies with international transparency and traceability standards
  • Is valued in demanding and conscious markets

Non-Certified Wood:

  • May originate from illegal or uncontrolled deforestation
  • Poses environmental risks and negative impacts on ecosystems
  • Does not guarantee fair practices or social responsibility
  • Lacks traceability or legal compliance guarantees

Choosing certified wood is a way to support sustainable forest management, protect the environment, and ensure that the final product respects quality, legality, and social responsibility standards.

Certified wood comes from forests managed in a sustainable, legal, and responsible manner, based on clearly defined environmental, social, and economic criteria. This wood is audited by recognized independent entities such as FSC® or PEFC.

What is the chain of custody?

It is the process that allows wood to be tracked from its forest of origin to the final product, ensuring that the wood was legally harvested, complies with applicable environmental and social standards, and was not mixed with wood of dubious origin during transformation and commercialization.

How is this guaranteed?

  • Through complete legal documentation (cutting licenses, transport authorizations, and proof of origin)
  • Certification by independent bodies such as FSC® or PEFC, ensuring compliance with international criteria
  • Regular audits of supply chain operators
  • Traceability systems that allow identification of wood origin at any point

Ensuring wood legality helps combat illegal deforestation, protects natural resources, and promotes a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable forest sector.

Although wood from the Amazon is already subject to strict oversight by Brazilian environmental agencies (such as IBAMA and state agencies), multiple layers of environmental verification remain necessary. This is especially true for exports to international markets and compliance with laws and certifications that go beyond local requirements.

These additional layers bring credibility and prevent fraud, and it is essential that they occur through independent audits, ensuring impartiality, socio-environmental compliance, and competitive access to global markets.

The exploitation of Pau-Brasil dates back to colonial times, when this tree, native to Brazilian forests, was intensely harvested due to the high commercial value of its wood and the dye extracted from its heartwood, used in Europe.

The absence of sustainable forest management criteria and the pursuit of immediate profits led to the indiscriminate felling of millions of trees, nearly wiping out natural populations along the Brazilian coast. Combined with agricultural expansion and urbanization, this uncontrolled use drove the species to near extinction, highlighting the fragility of ecosystems and the importance of responsible forest exploitation policies.

  • 1217 (England) – The Charter of the Forest was issued, a complement to the Magna Carta that established rights and restrictions on the use of forest resources by the people, limiting the predatory exploitation of forests controlled by the Crown.

  • 1605 (Brazil, colonial period) – The Portuguese Crown issues the Regimento do Pau-Brasil, seeking to regulate the exploitation of this valuable wood; although it was an attempt at control, enforcement was inefficient, resulting in predatory exploitation.

  • 1872 (United States) – Creation of Yellowstone National Park. The first national park in the world, it marked a milestone in the conservation of natural areas and wildlife. Although not a specific forest law, it paved the way for protection measures for ecosystems and species like the American bison (Bison bison).

  • 1900 (United States) – Lacey Act: the first federal law protecting wildlife, including plants and timber. It prohibits interstate commerce of illegally obtained species, laying the groundwork for monitoring timber exploitation.

  • 1934 (Brazil) – Publication of the first Brazilian Forest Code, establishing rules for the use and protection of native forests, defining legal reserves and preservation areas, albeit in an initial form.

  • 1947 (Japan) – Forest Act: after intense exploitation during World War II, the government strengthened regulation and forest recovery, encouraging reforestation programs and sustainable forest management.

  • 1965 (Brazil) – New Forest Code: replaces the 1934 version and reinforces forest protection, establishing concepts such as Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserve. It expands the scope of protected species, including valuable woods like mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla).

  • 1973 (United States) – Endangered Species Act: although focused on protecting endangered species (such as the grizzly bear and gray wolf), it influenced the conservation of forest habitats essential for these and other species’ survival.

  • 1975 (International) – CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) enters into force, regulating the export of various tree species, such as mahogany and rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora).

  • 1979 (Europe) – Birds Directive of the European Community, the first continental legislation aimed at protecting bird species and their habitats, many of which are forest-based.

  • 1987 (International) – Publication of the Brundtland Report (“Our Common Future”), which popularized the concept of “sustainable development” and emphasized the need for environmental protection integrated with economic and social progress.

  • 1992 (Brazil) – Rio-92 / Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development): a historic event where Agenda 21, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change were signed, establishing principles that influenced environmental and forest legislation worldwide.

  • 1997 (International) – Kyoto Protocol: the first international agreement with targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Although focused on climate change, it had impacts on forest conservation, as deforestation is a major source of carbon emissions.

  • 1999 (Australia) – Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act: a national law that integrates protection of native species (such as the koala) and their forests, requiring rigorous environmental assessments for logging activities.

  • 2000s (China) – Reforms in the Chinese Forest Law strengthen protections for species like the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and regulate sustainable forest management. Deforestation restrictions increase, and reforestation is promoted.

  • 2001 (Brazil) – Official recognition that mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) was under severe extinction threat due to overexploitation. IBAMA establishes a moratorium and stricter extraction rules, highlighting the urgency for protection measures.

  • 2002–2003 (International) – Mahogany is included in Appendix II of CITES during the 12th Conference of the Parties (CoP12), effective from 2003. This inclusion strengthens the need for stricter international control over trade and transportation to prevent extinction in the wild.

  • 2012 (Brazil) – Revision of the Brazilian Forest Code: introduces new rules for the preservation and restoration of Permanent Preservation Areas and Legal Reserves, including mechanisms like the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and environmental regularization tools. Although controversial, Law 12.651/2012 is currently the forest law in force in Brazil and is considered one of the most advanced in the world.

  • 2013 (European Union) – EUTR (European Union Timber Regulation): requires timber importers to perform due diligence to ensure product legality; protections extend to tropical species, restricting the entry of illegally sourced timber into the European market.

  • 2015 (International) – Paris Agreement (COP21): successor to the Kyoto Protocol, it reinforces emission reduction commitments and places greater emphasis on forest and ecosystem preservation as a climate change mitigation strategy.

  • 2022 (International) – At the 19th Conference of the Parties (CoP19) of CITES (held in Panama), ipê (genera Handroanthus, Tabebuia, and Roseodendron) and cumaru (Dipteryx odorata) are included in protection appendices, reflecting global concern over excessive exploitation of these valuable woods.

  • 2023 (European Union) – Adoption of the EUDR (European Union Deforestation-free Regulation), expanding origin verification requirements (traceability and proof of no deforestation) for various commodities, including timber. It establishes stricter controls, requiring proof that extraction has not resulted in deforestation or forest degradation after a specific cutoff date.

Environmental Due Diligence is a process of detailed assessment and verification of the environmental impacts associated with the extraction, production and commercialization of wood. The goal is to identify environmental risks, ensure compliance with forest legislation and promote sustainable practices before any commercial transaction, investment or partnership.

In the timber sector, Environmental Due Diligence plays a key role in ensuring the legality and traceability of wood, helping to combat illegal deforestation and protect ecosystems.

Why is it important?

  • Ensures legally sourced and certified wood
  • Avoids environmental and legal risks associated with illegal extraction
  • Promotes a more sustainable and responsible market
  • Ensures compliance with international regulations, such as the European Timber Regulation (EUTR) and other environmental protocols.


Environmental Due Diligence is essential for a more sustainable forestry sector, minimizing environmental impacts and promoting responsible natural resource management.