Canada’s forests are powerful allies in the fight against climate change but only if managed responsibly. FSC is helping Canadians understand that sustainable forestry is a real climate solution.
Canada’s forests are more than landscapes — they are our identity, our climate allies, and our legacy. From coast to coast, forests sustain wildlife, regulate water, and store immense amounts of carbon. Yet their future depends on one crucial factor: how responsibly we manage and source products that come from the forest.
That’s where the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) comes in. For over 30 years, FSC has set the global gold standard for responsible forestry ensuring that wood, paper, and other forest-based products bearing the FSC check-tree logo come from forests where biodiversity, Indigenous rights, and worker well-being are safeguarded.
How to Recognize an FSC-Certified Product
Look for the check-tree logo. The FSC symbol appears on everything from lumber to furniture to paper. It means the product came from responsibly managed forests verified by independent audits.
There are three label types:
- FSC 100% – products which are made of 100% virgin material from FSC-certified forests.
- FSC MIX — products which are made with a combination of FSC virgin fibre, and/or recycled materials with controlled virgin fibre.
- FSC Recycled — products which are made with 100% recycled fibre, including both pre- and post-consumer waste. The mobius loop in the top left-hand corner identifies the percentage of recycled fibre.
How FSC is adding quantifiable data to forestry as a climate solution
Responsible forestry isn’t just an ethical choice; it’s a climate solution. Research commissioned by FSC Canada and FSC US shows that forests in Canada managed to FSC standards store 0.28 Tonnes CO2e per acre more carbon than forests managed with common practices. Natural Resources Canada further recognizes that improved forest management and increased carbon storage in forests and wood products are important tools to help meet Canada’s greenhouse gas reduction goals on the path to netzero emissions by 2050.
Through programs such as Verified Impact, FSC helps forest managers and investors measure, validate, and communicate real environmental impacts — like carbon storage, water protection, and biodiversity conservation. This transparency strengthens accountability and helps businesses demonstrate how their actions contribute to tangible climate outcomes.
Indigenous leadership and knowledge are also integral to FSC Canada’s work. By weaving traditional ecological practices with scientific methods, these collaborations are redefining what forest resilience looks like.
Choosing FSC-certified products is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways Canadians can protect forests. Whether building a home, buying furniture, or choosing paper products, the FSC logo signals that your purchase helps sustain forests that, in turn, sustain us.
This Earth Day, and every day, Canadians can take one small but powerful step: choose products marked with the FSC logo. Because every choice, and every forest, matters for the future of our planet.
Buy FSC-certified wood and paper products. Learn more today.
