We plant, on average, one tree every twenty seconds; yet, sustainability means more to us than simply replacement planting.  Whenever we make decisions in our business we think about the impact to the human ecology, and the natural ecology.

THE HUMAN FACTOR IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Forests are hugely important to sustaining human activities such as shelter, habitat, bio-diversity, food, medicine, and clear water.  We’re committed to sustainability because of this.  The United Nations General Assembly recognised this and wanted to emphasize sustainable management, conservation, and forest development when they declared 2011 the “International year of the Forests.”

But over and above the ethical commitment which we would make anyway, we believe that environmental credentials will become a baseline factor in purchasing decisions in the way that price and quality are now.  Developers and buyers are already beginning to realize that sustainable development needs to go hand in hand with renewable resources.  What was a fringe movement 40 years ago is becoming more and more integrated into every mainstream market.  Therefore the considerable time and money which we invest in managing our plantations will become more and more economically worthwhile in addition to being ethically so.

THE NATURAL ECOLOGY FACTOR IN THE ENVIRONMENT

South African forest ecologies are a global treasure with unique flora and fauna. The forests contribute to the global environment by trapping carbon dioxide and recycled sunlight, thereby reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and countering the greenhouse effect, which has been identified as a cause in global warming.  In contrast to mineral based building materials pine is also a renewable resource.

Our forests are home to massive bio-diversity.  The Knysna elephant, thought to have been hunted to extinction, is probably the most well known example of how a sympathetically tended environment can keep a species present and nurture their future.  We’re so proud of their link to our forests and conservation techniques that they’re the centrepiece of our new logo, symbolising the story of environmental regeneration that’s fundamental to us.