Wood for Life

1. United Nations-designated
International Year of Forests - 2011
So! What do forests mean to us?
This presentation has been developed by
Just Forests
in association with
T4-Technology Subjects Support Service
Please click on speaker for soundtrack
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2. Please click on speaker for soundtrack
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3. 1900
3.18
1950
1.85
1960
1.45
1970
1.17
1980
0.97
1990
0.82
2000
0.64
How much forest have we - Globally?

In 1900 Ireland had 1% forest cover

today we have 13% of our land covered in trees
but we are the largest per-capita consumers oftropical timber in the EU

Globally the ratio of forests per person is shrinking

(the numbers expressed in hectares below refer to per person globally)
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4. Please click on speaker for soundtrack
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Globally, forests cover about one-third of the Earths land surface.
Temperate Forests grow between the
Tropical Forests andthe
Boreal Forestsin the polar regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
5. Where are the Boreal (Taiga) Forests?
The northern boreal forest eco-region accounts for about one third of this planet's total forest area.
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6. Where are our Temperate Forests ?
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7. Where are the Tropical Forests ?

Forests cover almost one-third of the earth's land surface are home to about 50% of all plant and animal species on the planet-There are 3 main regions of tropical rainforest: in Central and South America, in West and Central Africa, and in Southeast Asia.

8. Just under 4 billion hectares 9. Tropical rainforests are home to over half the worlds species. 10. 3 main regions of tropical rainforest 11. Centered around the equator. Fifty-seven percent of the worlds forests, including most tropical forests, are located in developing countries. Please click on speaker for soundtrack
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12. People
More that 1.6 billion people depend to varying degrees on forests for their livelihoods, e.g.
fuelwood
medicinal plants
forest foods
Oskar Biteye, grandson of family chief Zaire and the group's youngest hunter, returns from the hunt with his day's catch, a forest antelope, in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve outside the town of Epulu, Congo.
Rebecca Blackwell / AP
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13. What have all those forests got in common?Biological Diversity
For biologists, tropical rainforests are some of the richest, most exciting areas on earth! They are home to gigantic trees, colorful birds, millions of brightly hued insects, and a variety of fascinating mammals.
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14. Wood - Livelihoods -Fair Trade
Tropical, Temperate&BorealForests

are home to fascinating wildlife

15. are a source of exquisite species of wood 16. provides livelihoods for millions of peopleTropical wood:Mahogany-Iroko-Rosewood
Temperate wood: Oak-Ash-Beech-Pine
Boreal wood: Cedar-Spruce-Larch-Hemlock
FAIR Trade: The supply of responsibly harvested African blackwood stands to increase significantly as a result of a 700% increase in the total area of forest in Tanzania certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
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17. The Importance of Forests to Society
Forests are an integral part of global sustainable development.
According to World Bank estimates, more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.
The forest product industry is a source of economic growth and employment, with global forest products traded internationally in the order of $270 billion.
To help you with your selection of timberplease refer to Just Forests KNOW YourWood Guide
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18. The Carbon Footprint of Timber Imports?
Ireland imports an estimated 900million EURO worth of timber and wood-based products annually.
The carbon footprint of this activity (importation) can be enormous.
Question:
What should or what can we do?
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What is timbers Carbon Footprint?
A carbon Footprint is a measure of how much impact a particular product or component has in relation to global climate change
19. WOOD & Waste In Ireland
This piece of Honduran mahogany, was used as a mortar-board. At approx 350 years old it is still perfectly sound and free of any form of deterioration.
Questions:

Are we dumping too much useable wood?

20. Should there be a facility where people can dispose of old-used wood ? 21. Who should run such a facility?Thousands of tons of usable wood is discarded annually in Ireland. The skip below contains iroko and ipe, two excellent quality tropical hardwoods from Africa.
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22. Forests & The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria & other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
The fight against poverty is the overarching goal of the eight MDGs. Many millions of people use forest and woodland resources to sustain livelihoods and for basis needs , such as fresh water, medicinal plants and food.
Questions:
How can forests contribute to the MDGs?
Is our dependence on tropical timber having an effect on global forests?
Should we be using more Irish-grown timber?
Thirty-three of the worlds 100 largest cities derive their drinking water from catchments within protected forest areas. Source: WWF
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23. Forest FACTS 2011

The boreal forest is the largest tract of ancient forest left in North America and represents 25 percent of the worlds remaining ancient forests.
Source: Greenpeace

Thirty-three of the worlds 100 largest cities derive their drinking water from catchments within protected forest areas.
Source: WWF

Fifty-seven percent of the worlds forests, including most tropical forests, are located in developing countries.
Source: The Nature Conservancy

More that 1.6 billion people depend to varying degrees on forests for their livelihoods, e.g. fuelwood, medicinal plants, and forest foods.
Source: World Bank 2004

Forests provide habitats to about two-thirds of all species on earth.
Source: World Bank 2004

The Amazon rainforest produces 20 percent of the worlds oxygen.
Source: ACEER Foundation

Tropical forests renew the air we breath and moderate our global climate by absorbing about 20 percent of the carbon from emissions.
Source: The Nature Conservancy and REUTERS

Forests are home to 300 million people around the world.
Source: FAO Forest Resources Assessment

Tropical rainforests are home to over half the worlds species.
Source: The Rainforest Council

Australia, Brazil, and Mexico each possess more than 1,000 species of native trees.

Ten countries account for two-thirds of the global forest cover.

Globally, forests represent about four billion hectares (3,952 million hectares or about sq km) or 30.3 percent of total land cover.
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24. Conservation by Design!
Junior Certificate Materials Technology Wood Project 2011 Design Brief
In an effort to raise awareness of the importance of forests and biodiversity the United Nations has dedicated 2011 as the International Year of Forests.
Design and make an artefact which celebrates the importance of forests in maintaining biodiversity and in preserving the worlds fragile resources. The design should reflect the interdependence of all life forms. The finished artefact should be inspirational and elegant in its setting.
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25. Do you know how your wood was obtained?
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26. What can you do?
Find out where the wood/plywood in the woodwork room store comes from
Support Fair Trade in forest products
Insist on FSC-certified timber
Dont waste quality hardwoods
Plant a tree or more
Use Just Forests KNOW - Your Wood Guide 2011
Visit www.justforests.org and keep up-to-date
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27. What does FSC-certified wood mean?
Just Forests supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification programme as the worlds most credible. FSC's mission is to improve the management of the world's forests.
When you see the FSC logo (the tree with the tick mark) on products you are helpingthem to achieve their mission, which means:
Local communities are respected
Wildlife is protected
Fair price paid for wood and other forest products
Re-planting of trees takes place
Annual inspection carried out
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28. What Wood You Choose?
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29. WHAT HAVE THEYGOT IN COMMON?
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Do you see the FSC logo?
30. KNOW Your Wood Guide checklist
Make the best environmental choice when buying or using wood. Start with step 1 - the best option - and work your way through.
Step 1:
Repair, restore or adapt something you already have. You may need professional help but it could still be cheaper than something new and it's far better for the world's forests.
Step 2:
Buy secondhand, recycled, reclaimed or waste timber. A better environmental choice than buying new.
Step 3:
Buy locally produced timber products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. If you can't recycle, buying locally-produced timber products means less fossil fuel is used in transportation. All FSC certified wood carries the FSC logo.
Step 4:
Buy FSC certified products from farther afield. If there is no timber available from a locally certified forest, the FSC logo is always preferable.
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31. The KNOW-WOOD Board Project
-creating a wood culture in Ireland.

With the Know-Wood Board you can examine the tactile qualities of the wood and access helpful technical information relating to that particular species .

Your information companion: KNOW - Your Wood Guide 2011
What is Changing?

New EU legislation places responsibility on timber importers to ensure they are NOT supplying illegally-logged timber and wood-based products

Available September 2011
Available April 2011
Piecingit all together
Local ACTIONS = Global IMPACTS
Education resources by Just Forests
http://www.justforests.org/education-for-sustainable-development-esd
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Wood for Life

Education

temperate forests

worlds forests

byjust forests

ratio of forests

importance of forests

boreal taiga forests

wood livelihoods

international year of