Indonesian legal wood has become the focus of world attention from year to year. As a leading timber-producing country, commercial distribution of timber is required to prioritize forest sustainability and to be free from illegal logging practices. If you are a member of the timber business or even have a position as a consumer, there are several important things you should know about how to obtain legal timber from this island nation.
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What is Indonesian Legal Wood?
As one of the countries with the largest forest area, Indonesia has a large supply of wood of various types. Commercial timber stocks are increasingly abundant with the existence of farmers who own large areas of land and plant trees for cutting at a certain age. There are many types of wood from Indonesia, including Teak, Merbau, Mahogany, Sonokeling, Pine, Meranti, and others.
But of the many kinds of wood marketed, the status is not all uniform. When timber business actors comply with the rules, the opportunity to obtain a legal certificate for timber will open wide. On the other hand, when the origin of the wood is unclear and undocumented, it could be illegal. No matter how good the quality of the wood is, the distribution process will be hampered, and there will be less interest when it has not yet obtained legal status.
Indonesian Timber Legality Based on Timber Verification and Legality System
Social and environmental responsibility that is supported by the needs of global trade has forced the Indonesian government to make special regulations on buying and selling timber. Since 2009, a timber legality and verification system have been established and enforced on a mandatory basis for all stakeholders involved in the business of buying and selling timber and processed wood products.
How to get Indonesian legal wood verification
So, how is the technical implementation? Let’s look at the following descriptions to get the status of Indonesian legal wood:
- Efforts to obtain Indonesian legal wood began with applying verification, then continued with the planning and implementation of the verification until finally, it was decided to issue a legality certificate for the timber. Furthermore, recertification, surveillance, and special audits were also carried out.
- The legal status for Indonesian timber has a validity period, starting from one year, three years, and six years to 10 years.
- Management of certification for timber verification and legality can work with credible third parties and can complete the processing of legal Indonesian timber without any problems.
- Applications for legal timber status must be able to prove the origin of the wood, the method of logging and distribution of the wood, to the purpose of processing and selling the wood to consumers.
- Timber verification and legality systems are clear and mandatory regulations for all timber originating from Indonesia so that all illegal timber trading practices can be maximally prevented. This is beneficial for the natural environment and business actors (suppliers, distributors, craftsmen, etc.) who can get high-added value.
On the other hand, global consumers are guaranteed not to get involved in illegal timber trade or illegal logging practices. The implementation of Indonesia’s legal wood is also a response to pressure from the global community, which wants to cooperate with the best companies that only offer legal timber.
Status of Alternative Timber in the Indonesian Legal Wood Trade System
The high market demand for Indonesian legal wood species, such as teak, Merbau, ironwood, and others, has forced Indonesia to improve supply availability so that it does not become scarce. In addition to regulating timber production, the government is also pushing for the promotion of alternative woods to be offered to global consumers.
This type of wood has a quality that is not equivalent to teak and other conventional wood. However, various chemical products have been developed and applied in industry. That way, the wood will remain strong and easy to work with, with a relatively long service life, because it is coated with a special liquid so that it is water-repellent, termite resistant, and not easily damaged when exposed to extreme weather.
The Most Recommended Indonesian Legal Wood Supplier
The easiest way to get legal timber and wood products is to find the best and most recommended supplier. Among the various choices of available manufacturers, pay attention to important characteristics such as experience, company track record, reputation, the variety of wood types, and the completeness of production equipment.
Collaborating with legal timber producers will allow you to obtain supplies that should be legally guaranteed. On the other hand, manufacturers also ideally set reasonable prices, even the cheapest, among competitors. The craftsmen should also be able to meet consumer needs by making wooden doors conventionally or using alternative techniques.
The variety of wood types supported by complete production equipment will make it easier for consumers to get the most recommended wooden doors or other wood-processed products. For the rest, you also have to consider the price and technical delivery of wood products to the destination address.
Finally, cooperation between producers and consumers is very important in protecting Indonesia’s legal wood. Clarity on the status of timber and processed wood products will support the health of forests and the environment. On the other hand, legal timber will prevent all business actors from losing due to confiscation by the government for violating the law.