World Environment Day - Biodiversity

Conscious that the protection, preservation, and improvement of the environment are major issues that promote the well-being of populations and economic development around the world, the United Nations has designated June 5th as World Environment Day.World Environment Day. The UN chose biodiversity as the theme for World Environment Day 2020. The organization issued a call to action to combat the accelerated loss of species and the degradation of the natural world. The situation is indeed alarming. The UN estimates that, in the next ten years, one in four species, out of 8 million species, could be extinct. This highlights the urgent need for global efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity, which is crucial for the health of ecosystems, human well-being, and sustainable development.

Sustainable Forest Management

Each year, marine plants produce more than half of the oxygen in our atmosphere, while trees purify our air by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen in exchange. Therefore, it is more urgent than ever to preserve these ecosystems. In the case of forests, it is crucial to manage them responsibly to ensure their renewal while respecting biodiversity and protecting the soil. Sustainable forest management is key to maintaining these vital ecosystems for future generations.

The 2020 FAO report on The State of the World’s Forests insists in its conclusions on the fact that « The conservation and The sustainable use of forests The sustainable use of forests and trees within an integrated landscape management framework, covering the entire continuum from intact forests to plantation forests, including trees in agroforestry systems, fields, and degraded lands, is essential for global biodiversity conservation, as well as food security and human well-being. It is therefore essential to integrate biodiversity conservation into forest management.».

The Wood Sector

In our wood sector professions, it is essential to be particularly attentive to environmental issues. Wood sourcing must be systematically carried out from certified and sustainably managed forests, as is the case for 100% of our group’s supplies. Sustainable forest management relies on best practices and recognized, shared, and controlled professional standards. Respect for the forest environment helps preserve biodiversity, soil health, water quality, and wetland areas. These good practices also prevent the risks of pollution or degradation during forest operations.

In addition to our commitment to sustainable forest management, the tree planting program of the Charlois Fund for Art and Forest, financed by our houses, enables us to harvest fewer trees than what the forest produces. This initiative supports reforestation and ensures a net positive impact on the environment by replenishing the forest’s resources.

To be effective in addressing the climate emergency, which also threatens biodiversity, it is crucial to focus on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. The Carbon Footprint® of all our houses, currently being developed, will help identify our critical areas. We will then implement the necessary actions to reduce our emissions and contribute to mitigating climate change.

These positions, projects, and objectives place us in a dynamic of sustainable development and environmental preservation. It is important to remember that a dynamically and sustainably managed forest sequesters four times more CO2 than an unmanaged forest.

Photos © Christophe Deschanel