The study, commissioned by the Alliance of Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK, found that these positive effects would not be present if forests were planted as large monocultures or left unmanaged.
The study also highlights gaps in existing research, such as: a lack of data on the magnitude of additional benefits that can be derived from partaking in forest certification schemes; and a need for more research into the effectiveness of forest management for biodiversity enhancement that is aimed at specific groups of species.
The research objective was to summarise the effect of forest design and management techniques, typically carried out in certified forests in Britain and Ireland, on species richness, community composition and species abundance with a secondary objective being to identify gaps in knowledge.
The study carried out its objectives by reviewing published sources, to understand the sustainable forest management and planning practices set out in the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS), and their impacts on biodiversity. FSC’s UK forest management standard is based around the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.
While the cartons made by ACE UK members – Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc (all of whom hold FSC certification) – are made primarily from wood from Nordic forests, as opposed to UK forests, as part of its continued commitment to environmental responsibility, the beverage carton industry was keen to support the RSPB in furthering understanding of the contribution of commercial forestry to biodiversity in Britain and Ireland, as well as how biodiversity can be improved.
Richard Hands, Chief Executive of ACE UK, commented on the findings: We believe that using renewable materials is preferable to using non-renewable ones where possible. It’s encouraging to see that the forestry industry’s efforts, verified through independent certification, not only ensure that forests can provide a renewable resource for generations to come, but that they can also deliver benefits for biodiversity. We hope the research findings will prove useful to all those sourcing wood-based materials who seek to understand more about enhancing biodiversity, and that more work will now be done to fill in the gaps in understanding that our study revealed.
Paul Bellamy, a conservation scientist from the RSPB, commented: At a time of increasing demands for natural resources, such as wood and wood products, it is important that we leave space for biodiversity within forests. In managed forests, producing raw materials for industry, we can use our knowledge of the effects of management to maximise the value of these sensitive ecosystems. This report highlights the limited nature of our understanding of biodiversity in managed forests. Although there were many reports on the effects of the main forest management cycle on birds, plants and some insects, other important groups such as fungi had not been studied at all. There were also no studies on the effectiveness of management guidelines aimed at improving the wildlife value of forests.
Charles Thwaites, MBE, Executive Director of FSC UK, adds: We are grateful to ACE UK for commissioning this very valuable study into the impact on biodiversity of the sustainable management of UK woodlands. Traditionally, FSC UK has assisted on laying down appropriate guidelines for owner/managers; we therefore find it very heartening that this report appears to vindicate the efforts of all those who take up the challenge.
Please click on the links below for further information:
The ACE UK news story on the report is available here.
A summary report of the research is available here.
A copy of the full research report is available here.