This article was contributed by Responsible Wood.

Forests, Carbon, and Consumer Trust

At Responsible Wood, we often say that certification is a system not just a stamp. It’s how we help forests stay forests, support biodiversity, and offer consumers the confidence that the timber products they choose are part of the climate solution, not the problem.

Recently, our Sustainability Manager Matt de Jongh joined Geoffrey Matthews on the SIM-PAC Live podcast to unpack what certification really means and why it matters now more than ever.

“Trees are the ultimate carbon sequestration machine,” Matt explained. “When we use certified wood products, that carbon stays locked away for the life of the product whether it’s a beam, a table or even a magazine.”

Understanding the full value of certified forests

Forests naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When they’re managed responsibly, harvested timber continues to store that carbon, while the forest regenerates and young trees begin the cycle again. According to Matt, these younger trees can absorb even more carbon than older trees.

“Certified forests must regrow. That’s part of the standard. They remain forests, and new trees are planted or regenerate naturally capturing more carbon and continuing the cycle.”

Certified forestry also goes far beyond carbon alone. From biodiversity to worker rights and cultural values, certification requires forest managers to meet strict standards that exceed legal compliance. That includes aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“There’s a common misconception that harvesting timber equals deforestation,” Matt said. “Deforestation is the permanent conversion of forest land for another use like farming or development. Certified forestry is the opposite. Forests stay forests.”

Koalas, culture, and carbon: the broader story

One of the most compelling examples Matt shared was research from New South Wales showing that koalas are thriving in certified, sustainably managed forests.

“In fact, there were ten times more koalas than expected,” Matt said. “They actually show a preference for young regrowing trees, which are a feature of these responsibly managed areas.”

Matt also explained how certification systems reflect long-standing land care knowledge. Many techniques used in native forestry today such as low-intensity burning to support regeneration, mirror traditional Indigenous practices that shaped Australia’s landscape for tens of thousands of years.

“Certification systems in Australia are grounded in science, but they also reflect a long human history of active land management. These forests aren’t untouched they’re cared for.”

The role of consumers and the road ahead

While Responsible Wood develops the standards, independent auditors certify organisations against them. And it’s not just about forests — our chain of custody standard tracks certified timber from the forest through processing and distribution, all the way to retail.

That traceability gives consumers a choice and a way to support better outcomes.

“If a product carries the Responsible Wood or PEFC label, you can be confident it came from a forest that’s still a forest. No deforestation. An ethical, transparent supply chain. That’s what certification offers,” Matt said.

Despite these systems, only around 10 percent of the world’s forests are certified today. The opportunity and the need to grow that number is real.

“Certification supports climate, communities and sustainable industry. We just need more people to understand what’s behind the label.”

What can we take away from this?

The next time you see a timber product whether it’s paper, a deck, or a beautifully designed timber building ask where it came from. If it’s certified, you’re not just choosing a renewable material. You’re backing a system that helps forests thrive, carbon stay locked away, and biodiversity flourish.