We supply timber. We are aware that cutting down trees has a negative impact on the environment. Even though wood is a renewable resource, it takes investment and time.
We aren’t burying our heads in the sand, but there is a demand for beautiful, high-quality timber products and our goal is to be able to supply products to meet the demand in a renewable and eco-friendly way.
What have we done?
Reforresting
We have planted over 12,000 trees on our own land covering 3.5 hectares. The trees are a mixture of Western Red Cedar, Norwegian Spruce, Douglas Fir and Mixed Broadleaves.
We donate to rewilding projects and tree-planting projects in the UK (a minimum commitment of £3,000 per annum).
In order to do this, we have partnered with Trees For Life.
Trees for Life is a multi-award-winning conservation charity. For over 25 years they have worked with thousands of volunteers to rescue the Caledonian Forest and the wildlife that calls it home. Our partnership includes an annual £3,000 donation upfront to support rewilding of the Scottish Highlands and tree planting as well as providing opportunities for our customers to donate to the same cause.
“We are delighted that Celtic Timber have joined us as Platinum Partners, furthering their commitment to sustainability and rewilding. Their generous contribution will allow us to continue with our vital work, ensuring a future where communities can thrive and wildlife can flourish”
Chris Aldridge, Head of Fundraising and Engagement
Why rewilding instead of planting a tree?
Both have a great and positive impact on the environment.
Without researching their individual impacts, planting a tree feels tangible, whereas the impact of donating to a charity to rewild can feel hard to quantify. What happens if you opt to rewild instead?
Around 6,000 years ago an estimated 1.5m hectares of Scotland was covered in rich native pinewoods. Now only about 1% of this original forest is left, broken down into small and isolated fragments. Much of the wildlife dependent on the forest has been lost.
This is why Trees for Life rewilding projects are so important. Your donations will fund projects including returning the Lynx to Scotland, Rewilding the Affric Highlands, the Caledonian Pinewood Recovery Project, The Reintroduction of Red Squirrels and more.
Planting a tree
Our trees will help to rewild the Caledonian Forest, a rich habitat found only in the Scottish Highlands. It will be a sapling grown from locally collected seed and will be one of a number of species we plant such as Scots pine, willow, birch, rowan, hazel, alder, holly, aspen and bird cherry.
Trees will be planted at Dundreggan estate near Loch Ness. The rich diversity of wildlife habitats at Dundreggan includes ancient Caledonian pinewoods and superb birch and juniper woodlands. With mires, wetlands and wildflower meadows, Dundreggan is a haven for wildlife. Over 4,000 species have been discovered there, with some found nowhere else in the UK.
Saplings will be planted alongside other young, native trees, transforming open hillsides into healthy young woodland, rich in wildlife such as red squirrel, black grouse, capercaillie, wood ants and twinflower. Once the trees reach maturity, natural regeneration will go on to create the wild forests of the future for generations to enjoy.
Thank you for helping us to grow the Caledonian Forest in this way.
If you are only placing a small order but still want to make a difference? We can recommend using TreeApp, a pioneering new app where you can watch a short advert from an eco-conscious sponsor which funds the planting of a tree.
Find out more and download the app here – https://www.thetreeapp.org/
Sourcing Sustainable Wood
All of our timber is sourced from FSC or PEFC certified forestry.
Aside from our French oak, all of our timbers are sourced from FSC certified forestry. FSC certification ensures that our products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.
All of our French oak is sourced from PEFC certified sources.
What does this mean? The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification.
PEFC certified oak ensures a fully audited supply chain from forest to end-use and that our oak is sourced from legal and sustainable sources.
Packaging
We have replaced foam packaging on all of our products with plastic-free protective cardboard sleeves. This has not only minimalised our reliance on non-recyclable materials but has also reduced the number of damaged items that we have to collect and replace, further reducing our impact.
What else are we doing?
Well, quite a bit actually:
- Nothing is truly wasted. We recycle and upcycle barrels, no longer needed by distilleries and turn them into planters, ice baths, water butts, tables and much more.
- Any barrels that are too damaged, are broken down into individual staves and lids, which are then sold individually for crafts or we turn them into tealight candle holders, wine glass holders and fruit bowls.
- Offcuts from our oak beams are sold as some of the cleanest and most efficient firewood blocks available.
- All of our firewood is certified Ready to Burn, meaning that they burn more efficiently than unseasoned, green wood and reduce environmental impact. Ready to Burn wood is not only better for your appliance and chimney but will also reduce maintenance and fuel costs.
- All of our sawdust is collected and either sold, used for animal bedding or used to power our biomass burners.
- Anything that we absolutely cannot use is either chipped and used/sold as woodchip or burned to provide power for our business and help dry other products in our kiln.
- Our power supply from British Gas is certified as being from 100% renewable sources.