‘For New Zealand timber merchants the benefits of forest certification extend beyond the forest’
Covered by Jason Ross, Responsible Wood Marketing and Communications Officer
AUCKLAND, 18/09/2019 – Rosenfeld Kidson is a company steeped in tradition, as one of New Zealand’s largest importers of tropical timbers its commitment to forest certification is unwavering.
For Mark Liggins, son and Managing Director, and David Liggins, father and Procurement Director, timber is in the blood.
As third and fourth generation custodians, both are passionate about exotic timber species and have interest in not only ensuring the future of tropical forests but also securing the future for those that inhabit them.
And for Rosenfeld Kidson, forest certification is non-negotiable, no questions asked.
As founding members of the New Zealand Importers Tropical Timbers Group (NZITTG), Rosenfeld Kidson is prepared to support talk with real action.
The NZITTG represents a steadfast commitment by major New Zealand timber importers, retailers, environmental and conservation groups to procure exotic timbers that are certified under a number of different schemes including PEFC forest certification.
Established in 1992, the NZITTG aims to ensure that an increasing proportion of timber imported into New Zealand is sourced from sustainably managed forests and plantations that meet third party verification.
For Mark Liggins, the commitment to NZITTG is an important pillar in Rosenfeld Kidson’s ethical and social obligation to improve responsible forestry practices in remote and faraway locations.
‘We carry exotic and tropical species from locations all around the world, we are in a unique position to drive improvement and change by the decisions we make.’
‘What is often looked over is that forest certification not only protects the forests as a renewable resource but it also creates a responsible industry, improving living and working conditions for forest and sawmill workers and their communities.’
‘This in itself underpins the importance of PEFC and FSC, not only in establishing independently assessed international standards for responsible and sustainable forest practices but also to protect the wild life and the humanity living within the forests,’ Mark Liggins said.
According to David Liggins, forest certification plays an important role in procurement of timber.
‘We carry a wide selection of more than thirty timber species from all over the world.’
‘Whether it be Victorian Ash, Jarrah, Tonka, Garapa, Larch, Cedar or Iroko, as far as we are concerned, PEFC and / or FSC certification is a non-negotiable,’ David Liggins said.
For more information about Rosenfeld Kidson please visit the Rosenfeld Kidson website, for more information about the NZITTG please visit the NZITTG website. For more information about PEFC forest certification please visit the Responsible Wood website for more information.
