Gabonese Forestry representatives, including the Director of Forests, visited James Latham in the UK recently as part of their European tour to learn about the requirements for certified timber from well managed tropical forests.
 
They spent time at Latham’s Purfleet hardwood depot and saw African hardwood being selected against customer’s orders.  The delegation learned how Lathams identifies and segregate timber which has been verified as legal by SGS and certified as originating from forests which are managed in line with PEFC, FSC and MTCC’s stringent guidelines.
 
Director of Lathams’ timber division, John May, explained how the market, driven by environmentally aware customers and the Government’s timber procurement policy, was demanding certified material.
 
At a meeting the next day in London, jointly chaired by Peter Latham and Geert Lejeune, conservation director for the World Wildlife Foundation, Gabon’s forests resources and management practices were explored, with contributions from the Gabonese Forestry Department, NGO’s and other members of the UK timber trade.  UK market requirements both in terms of specification and environmental certification were allied to the material available and it was agreed that dialogue would be maintained as Gabon changes from primarily a supplier of logs to a supplier of value added products.
 
For more information e-mail marketing@lathams.co.uk or telephone 0116 257 3415.

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For further press information, please contact Tim Roberts at Connectpoint PR on 0161 817 4200, Fax 0161 817 4212, or email tim.roberts@connectpoint.co.uk