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Pacific Blue Hardwood is firmly committed to preserving the world’s forests and renewing its natural resources. Pacific Blue consistently promotes sustainable forest practices, securing timber that is selectively harvested and inspected under government guidelines. Coupled with a stringent policy of reforestation, rational harvesting from sustainable forests assures the health and continuity of this most valuable resource.
Pacific Blue manufacturers hardwood flooring only from timber that is selectively harvested under the principles of sustainable forest management. Each tree is assessed for age and condition. Older trees, often susceptible to disease, are removed first, assuring that valuable resources are not left to waste away on the forest floor. After timber is harvested, multiple trees are replanted fostering sustainable forest practices and completing the reforestation process.
In the final process of selective timber harvesting not only produces the highest quality lumber but also allows immature trees in the upper-story to benefit from increased sunlight and water. It is also important to note that the tropical climates where most of the Pacific Blue timbers are harvested provide reforestation rates that are substantially faster than in temperate climates of North America. In most cases, the species offered by Pacific Blue Hardwood grow from saplings to full growth tress in less than 15 years. By comparison, a maple tree from North America can take as much as 50 years to fully mature.
In addition to the attention to the selective harvesting process for all Pacific Blue products, the species offered in the Gold Coast Collection are 100% certified according to the guidelines laid out by the Australian Forestry Standard or “AFS”. As an independent auditing body that works with the governments of Australia, the environmental policies of the AFS are among the most stringent in the world. And similar to other globally recognized forestry certification bodies such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the AFS is also a member of the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC). The AFS is one of only 31 representatives on the PEFC council which recognizes forestry practices in European Union Countries as well as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Gabon, Malaysia and the USA.
For additional information on the certifications for the Gold Coast Collection and the Australian Forestry Standard please click on the following link. www.forestrystandard.org.au
Pacific Blue pledges to help maintain and, whenever possible, ensure the continued growth of our world’s valuable natural resources. We hope that you will do the same by always making sure that the flooring that you are purchasing is derived from environmentally conscientious growers and manufacturers.
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