Sustainable Timber
Protecting the Forest for the Future
STS is a Guyanese company, staffed by skilled Guyanese foresters operating throughout the supply chain from harvest, to sawmilling, to exports.
We work closely with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and have built a network of commercial partnerships with community foresters across the country to offer our clients unrivalled access to sustainably sourced, FSC™ certified tropical timber.
One of the best managed forests in the World
Guyana has one of the best-managed forests in the world due to its long-standing commitment to sustainable forestry practices and the implementation of a robust legal and regulatory framework to govern the forestry sector, everything here is done to maintain the standing forest.
Our forests come under the jurisdiction of the GFC who ensure that the forest resources are managed in a responsible and sustainable manner. The GFC issues forest concessions to companies and individuals for timber harvesting, and forestry operations are closely monitored to ensure that they preserve the forest ecosystem.
A Community Partnership
We work with a network of trusted community partners, trained in Reduced Impact Logging
The STS team brings over 50 years of experience in Guyana with a positive approach to certification, forest management, local community development, standards and compliance, and international market development.
Small and Community based forest holders manage 41% of the allocated commercial forest in Guyana and are critical in the efforts to protect this dense natural forest. STS has built partnerships with these small, community and indigenous managed forests.
We help our partners improve forest management with GIS aided forest planning, provide training in Reduced Impact Logging practices and employee welfare and first aid.
We develop and monitor their adherence to FSC™ standards to ensure that their forest maintains its biodiversity, ecological processes and its long-term economic and social benefits for present and future generations.
And finally we help our partners realise their full commercial potential by providing competitive access to the international markets that small operations would not normally have access to. Find out more here.
The FSC™ is keen to promote Lesser Known Timber Species (LKTS) to encourage timber users to seek a diverse selection of timber species as a supplement or alternative to the well-known species currently being overexploited:
‘There is an urgent need for diversifying the market for timber species from well-managed forests.
If these new species can be sourced from well managed FSC™ certified forests, the potential for sustainable long-term development is vast.’
STS offers a wide range of LKTS hardwoods and specialise in large sections of Greenheart Timber for the marine engineering industry and premium housebuilding joinery timbers such as Purpleheart. Please visit our Products page full a full listing.
Lesser Known Timber Species
Our commitment to responsible and sustainable management of the forest resources is evident in our FSC™ Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood certification and our management of an FSC™ certified Forest Management Group of Small and Low Intensity Managed Forests (SLIMF) consisting of Small and Community based forest holders.
We support FSC™ Small and Community Forest certification to encourage the protection and recognition of the value of forests, and to ensure best available environmental, social and economic practices in sustainable Forest Management.
By developing markets for Lesser Known Timber Species through FSC™ Certification, the Small and Community forest holders we partner with are empowered to practice Responsible Forest Management and provide a sustainable income for the present and future generations.
We have also developed our own due diligence systems which we use to evaluate risk of suppliers and traceability along the supply chain. This works well in providing customers with EUTR and Lacey Act compliance evidence, ensuring that all sources are legal and sustainable.
FSC™ Certification
Reliable Supply
One of the greatest challenges to harvest and transport operations in tropical forestry can be the weather conditions. Heavy localized rainfall can slow or pause the supply of timber for weeks at a time.
Our business model works around potential delays by consolidating logs and lumber from different concessions in different parts of Guyana to ensure a consistent supply throughout the year and for different species.
By working in cooperation with community foresters across Guyana, STS is positioned to respond quickly and competitively to customer orders.
“One of the best managed forests in the World.”
— ITTO
With STS you can be assured that the timber you order comes from well managed, sustainable forestry operations that support and promote community foresters.
