Sustainability

The idea of Sustainability is central to the philosophy of the work undertaken by Working Woodlands. The idea that the Earth's resources are not limitless and will not be available to fulfill increasing demand in the future has prompted many people to look at alternative ways of satisfying demand through the use of materials that are renewable and sustainable.

 
Apart from timber and wood, there are no other resources available to us that we can use for building and fuel that are renewable within a realistic time scale. Look at these facts about other materials that we use today:
 
  • Steel production uses high amounts of energy and produces pollution and waste at all stages of the process, including coking coal, purifying iron and galvanising.
  • We produce plastics from oil. At the current rate of consumption, we have enough known oil reserves to last for another 40 years.
  • Oil refineries give off emissions into the air, including oxides of sulphur, oxides of nitrogen and oxides of carbon.
  • Emissions into water from oil refineries include sulphides and insoluble organic material.
  • Spillage from oil tankers has been responsible for many marine pollution disasters.
  • Solid wastes from refining oil include process sludges, spent catalysts and various sediments. The most dangerous waste components are polynuclear aromatics and heavy metals.
  • According to Greenpeace, PVC products are: 'the products of a highly dangerous and toxic industry... PVC production gives rise to a secondary - and toxic - manufacturing industry'.
  • Gas supplies may last for another 60 years. 
  • Reserves of Bauxite, which is used in aluminium, should last for another 200 years. However there is great opposition to the continuation of Bauxite mining and it may become inaccessible.
  • Aluminium fabrication and finishing may produce a large amount of waste water and heavy metal sludges, which will require treatment.
  • Limestone is used to make concrete. It is in plentiful supply but it also acts as the Earth's "natural filter" by purifying the underground water supply. It is also often found in areas of outstanding natural beauty.
  • A concrete floor requires the use of over two and a half times the energy of a timber floor.
  • Cement production is one of the most energy intensive of all industrial processes. 12.5 tons of carbon dioxide is released for every ton of cement that is produced.
  • The practice of washing out ready mixed concrete vehicles can damage local watercourses as the washed out water has a high alkaline content.
Compare the amount of energy that is needed to produce one tonne of each of the following building materials:
  • Timber: 435 Kilowatt hours
  • Steel: 3,780 Kilowatt hours
  • Aluminium: 20,169 Kilowatt hours

 

Worldwide Context

 
Over the last few years, there has been a growing international awareness of the importance of our forests and woodlands, the need to protect them and to manage them efficiently and productively.
 
In 1987 the World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Commision) released a report called 'Our Common Future'. The report highlighted the importance of the health of the world's forests as well as looking into climate change and other globally significant environmental and development issues. The commission introduced the idea of "sustainable development", in particular the ability to meet 'the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'.
 
In 1990 the UK government produced a White Paper on the environment, called 'This Common Inheritance'
 
In 1991 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) produced 'Caring for the Earth' - a strategy for sustainable living.
 
At the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (The Earth Summit) in Rio-de-Janeiro, World leaders expressed their commitment to the idea of sustainable development. A number of commitments and agreements that relate to forests came out of the conference - A Statement of Forest Principles, Agenda 21, The Biodiversity Convention and a Framework Convention on Climate Change. Representatives from over 150 countries signed the last agreement.
 
In 1993, at a conference in Helsinki, European Governments adopted a set of guidelines for the sustainable management of European forests and for the conservation of their biodiversity. They interpreted the Rio principles for use in Europe and produced 'General guidelines for the Sustainable Management of Forests in Europe' and 'General Guidelines for the Conservation of the Biodiversity of European Forests'.
 
In 1994 the British Government produced its own findings and published four documents. These were 'Sustainable Forestry - the UK Programme' and three other linked documents: 'Sustainable Development: the UK Strategy', 'Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan' and 'Climate Change: The UK Programme'.
 
In 1995 the UK Government decided to prepare a 'UK Forestry Standard' that would bring together all the existing measures relating to sustainable forestry. The UK Government also launched the Environment Act that provided legislation to govern environmental protection and established the Environment Agency.
 
In 1996 organisations representing a wide range of interests in forestry in the British Isles adopted the 'Forestry Accord'. All organisations that signed up to the Accord shared common objectives and principles for the future management and development of forestry in the UK.
 

Agenda 21

 
The list below shows the main headings within the Agenda 21 agreement made at the Earth Summit conference in Rio-de-Janeiro in 1992. The agreement is a blueprint for global action based on the idea of sustainability:
 
  • Social and Economic Dimensions
  • International Co-operation
  • Combating Poverty
  • Changing Consumption Patterns
  • Population and Sustainability
  • Protecting and Promoting Human Health
  • Sustainable Human Settlements
  • Making Decisions for Sustainability
  • Conserving / Managing Resources
  • Protecting the Atmosphere
  • Managing Land Sustainably
  • Combating Deforestation
  • Combating Desertification and Drought
  • Sustainable Mountain Development
  • Sustainable Agriculture
  • Sustainable Rural Development
  • Conservation of Biological Diversity
  • Management of Biotechnology
  • Protecting and Managing the Oceans
  • Protecting and Managing Fresh Water
  • Safer Use of Toxic Chemicals
  • Managing Hazardous Wastes
  • Managing Solid Wastes and Sewage
  • Managing Radioactive Waste
  • Strengthening Major Groups
  • Women
  • Children and Youth
  • Indigenous Peoples
  • Partnerships with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
  • Local Authorities
  • Workers and Trade Unions
  • Business and Industry
  • Scientists and Technologists
  • Strengthening the Role of Farmers

 

Means of Implementation

 
  • Financing Sustainable Development
  • Technology Transfer
  • Science for Sustainable Development
  • Education, Training, Public Awareness
  • Creating Capacity
  • Organising for Sustainability
  • International Law
  • Information for Decision - Making
(Source: Agenda for Change: A plain language version of Agenda 21 and other Rio agreements by Michael Keating, Centre for Our Common Future, Geneva 1993)
 
 

Local Context

 
Agenda 21 called for governments to produce 'national sustainable development strategies' (NSDS). Alongside this, local government organisations have produced 'local sustainable development strategies', better known as Local Agenda 21's. A survey conducted in 1995 showed that 70% of local government organisations were committed to preparing a Local Agenda 21 within their authority.
 
The scope of a Local Agenda 21 covers planning in both urban and rural areas. Within England and Wales, Central Government has introduced Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) in order to influence local planning policy. There are 20 topics covered by PPG's and PPG 12, published by the Department of the Environment in 1992, states that:
 
'... the Government has made clear its intention to work towards ensuring that development and growth are sustainable. The planning system, and the preparation of development plans in particular, can contribute to the objectives of ensuring that development and growth are sustainable'.
 
Several of the PPG's published by the Government have a bearing on the work undertaken by Working Woodlands Ltd. For example PPG 7, published in 1992, which focuses on the countryside and the rural economy, calls for the diversification of the rural economy and for the encouragement of economic activity in rural areas to offset the decline in farming incomes. PPG 9, which was published in 1994 and deals with issues of nature conservation, calls for support for local initiatives for conservation provision and recognises the value of protecting and promoting 'corridors' in the countryside to encourage flora and fauna.
 
The Rio Declaration, or the Earth Summit as it is more commonly known, states within Principle One that:
 
'Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development...'
 
As you can see from the information provided here, it is the responsibility of national governments, local authorities and, finally, local individuals to take the initiative and make a difference. Through the re-introduction of traditional methods of woodland management such as coppicing, Working Woodlands Ltd is maintaining a sustainable resource. At the same time, this action creates new and diverse employment opportunities for craftspeople in rural and urban woodlands, whilst providing a suitable habitat within which many species of plant and animal can thrive.
 

 

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