UK-grown timber can be used for many of the applications for which we currently use imported timber. By making informed choices, specifiers and purchasers can ensure that more of the timber used on their projects is locally sourced, which helps the UK economy and can lead to lower embodied carbon projects:

• Design and specify C16 structural timber grades wherever these are suitable, rather than overspecifying to C24 or higher
• Look to use alternative UK-supplied temperate hardwood species rather than automatically defaulting to oak
• Use UK-manufactured OSB in place of imported hardwood plywood to reduce your embodied carbon footprint
• Check that your chipboard, MDF and OSB are from a UK supplier rather than imported from outside Europe
• Make sure the timber you purchase is sourced responsibly by insisting on forest management certification with full chain of custody, such as PEFC’s.