What is the Lacey Act?
Signed into law in the year 1900, the Lacey Act is a century old United States law that makes it a federal crime to buy, sell, or trade any wildlife or plants that were procured and transported by illegal means. This includes the import and exporting of both domestic and exotic lumber. For the lumber industry during that time, The Lacey Act was a wake up call. Conduct business in a responsible manner that doesn’t destroy the very resource you depend on, or face a federal court. While the battle still rages on against illegal logging across the world, it is companies like Advantage Trim & Lumber that are leading the way when it comes to sustainable forestry.
What does the Lacey Act mean for you?
You can rest assured that the decking, lumber, or flooring you purchase has been harvested properly. By doing our due diligence, we can guarantee that the lumber you buy complies with all international and national trade laws. As a FSC wood and lumber supplier, we continually perform our due diligence and have a crystal clear record of compliance.
Why the Lacey Act is a good thing for all of us?
When previously discussing what makes our inventory of eco-friendly hardwood dependable, the topic of “worth” came up. Again, it bears repeating here as well. It makes ZERO economic sense for lumber companies to destroy the forests. Even the most reputable environmental organizations from Greenpeace to the Sierra Club have said time and again that there is a place for responsible and sustainable forestry practices. These organizations realize a critical fact that has proven true in all cases. If you remove responsible forestry and logging from a forest, the local population must and will use that forest for other means. Whether they become soy, coconut, banana, coffee, or palm oil farmers, or cattle ranchers, the result is the same. The deforestation of natural forest for the production of some other agricultural good. Check out this report from Monagabay. Notice how, when you break down the sources of deforestation in the Amazon Cattle ranches account for 65-70%, and cumulative small and large scale agriculture account for approximately 25%. Logging (legal and illegal)? Just 2-3% (and declining!).
Pardon the cliche, but the proof is in the pudding. Those statistics clearly show that when you have a healthy and vibrant lumber industry that embraces these kinds of regulations, the overall effect is a positive one that gives you peace of mind, and the ability to use lumber that has been responsible cultivated, harvested, and shipped. I think we can all agree, the alternative is something that should be avoided at all costs.
Want more info? Check out the links below. Have a comment? Drop us a line in the comments section. We’d love to hear from you.