42 | Sector Focus: North America
SUMMARY
■ Stable isotope ratio analysis is used to geo reference timber
■ SIRA is already proven in agriculture
■ The system provides a chemical geographic fingerprint which can’t be faked
■ It’s hoped the first outcomes of the project will be known in time for COP26
ATOMIC LEVEL VALIDATION
Science-based traceability techniques, like stable isotope ratio analysis could be a hugely valuable piece of the sustainable timber sourcing jigsaw, says the American Hardwood Export Council. Mike Jeffree reports
The environmental performance of the US hardwood industry can already be scrutinised in detail. Indeed, in-depth monitoring and mapping to manage and maintain its forest resource started over 90 years ago. After constant evolution, this led in 2017 to development of the American Hardwood Export Council’s (AHEC) online interactive forest map. Based on continuously collated US Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data, this is updated annually. It’s open to anyone to check hardwood forest growth, timber harvest, species distribution and more. AHEC also commissioned the Seneca Creek report, probably the most exhaustive legality and sustainability risk analyses ever undertaken in the global timber industry. First published in 2008, a new edition came out in 2019 with still greater focus on the hardwood sector’s sustainability credentials. In addition, AHEC commissioned consultancy Sphera to undertake one of the largest ever hardwood life cycle analysis projects. This led to development of its LCA tool, which enables specifiers and buyers to calculate the carbon and other environmental impacts of shipping a cubic metre of the key commercial US hardwood species to any location worldwide.
Above: Science-based traceability could be applied to the entire US hardwood forest in a few years
TTJ | May/June 2021 |
www.ttjonline.com
But now the US hardwood sector is going a step further in terms of provenance and environmental validation. It is involved in a pilot project with WorldForestID (WFID), to use science-based traceability techniques, such as stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) to
geo reference timber and provide irrefutable proof of origin.
“SIRA is already proven in agriculture, where it provides provenance for meat, wheat and other food stuffs, and has been used to an extent in the timber trade to assist companies in carrying out due diligence and ensuring compliance with EUTR and similar laws,” said AHEC European director David Venables. “From our discussions with WFID, we believe it can be applied at large scale for provenance in the US hardwood sector, representing a potentially significant advance in environmental assurance. With FIA data we can demonstrate that the forest is sustainably managed, the Seneca Creek report provides evidence of good forest governance, while our LCA research details the environmental impacts of producing and processing and shipping the timber. Science- based traceability can underpin all this by providing categoric evidence of where the wood came from. It looks set to be another hugely valuable piece of the sustainable sourcing jigsaw.”
SIRA, he explained, involves analysis of the isotopes of chemical elements in organic matter – nitrogen, hydrogen carbon, sulphur and oxygen – which are absorbed during a plant or animal’s life. Different isotopes have different numbers of neutrons and the blend is unique to the location where the plant or animal grew and lived. The system effectively provides a chemical geographic fingerprint which can’t be faked.
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