Boise Cascade Corporation has bowed to pressure and announced it will no longer buy wood from endangered or old-growth forests.
The statement follows strong lobbying from environmental groups and customers, some of whom had stopped buying Boise’s products because of its timber sourcing policies.
The firm says its new “Boise and the Environment” commitment represents the first time a major US forest products company has adopted a comprehensive environmental statement.
It means Boise will halt cutting in US old-growth forests next year and will no longer buy timber from endangered forests in countries including Chile, Indonesia and Canada. The company will also track the origin of its timber products and give purchasing preference to suppliers who use wood from certified forests.
The Rainforest Action Network described the move as one of the most important corporate advances in forest protection since Home Depot‘s commitment to stop selling wood from endangered forests.
