Forest and wood industries take to the air

The forest and wood processing industries are taking their environmental message to the public next week in a multi-million dollar advertising campaign.

The campaign, under the banner of a generic industry brand ‘NZ Wood’, places forests and wood at the front line of the fight against climate change.

“Wood is the most renewable raw material in the world, the one raw material we can use without fear of it running out. Trees are the lungs of the world sucking up CO₂ and expelling oxygen. We need them like we have never needed them before,” said Geoff Henley, programme manager of NZ Wood.

“Contrary to the popular belief that all trees should be conserved, NZ Wood supports cutting plantation forests and using the wood, which in turn encourages further planting and sucks up more CO₂. In addition, the use of wood in buildings stores CO₂ away from the atmosphere, often for centuries.

“NZ Wood wants its message to reach all New Zealanders, because if they use wood they are not only using a great product, they are helping save the planet,” said Henley.

The commercials mark the start of a public campaign by the forest and wood processing industries to draw attention to the excellent environmental credentials of forests and wood.

The forest and wood processing industries have come together on a common platform under the NZ Wood program, which is driven by industry and co-funded by industry and government.

NZ Wood is supported by the New Zealand Forest Owner’s Association, the Wood Processors Association, the Pine Manufacturer’s Association, the Timber Design Society, the Douglas-fir Association and the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association.