Rapid advancement and change within Australia's predominant timber certification schemes has led to the revision of the original November 2004 paper Timber and wood products from environmentally certified forests and plantations. That paper now forms the summary for the extended content contained within the papers Timber and wood products from environmentally certified forests and plantations – background, and this paper.
Certification appears to be generally leading to improvements in forestry practices in Australia. Whether certification is yet leading to truly 'sustainable' forestry is less clear. There are a number of tangible differences between the two schemes operating in Australia, including the degree of stakeholder support, identified in this review. Specifiers are encouraged to use certified timber over uncertified timber, but to be aware that certification standards differ, to understand these differences, and to make an informed choice accordingly.
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