By Gareth Westhead

Many people believe that the wood and paper we buy here in the UK comes from sustainable and legal sources. This is a common misconception and you can be forgiven for thinking this is the case, but sadly it isn’t. There is still a very long way to go to halt the sale of illegal forest products in UK shops, which ends up in our homes.

No one is saying that the average person out buying some wood for a DIY project or a person buying his or her weekly supply of toilet paper is a criminal, but when buying these seemingly innocent items, we could be unwittingly supporting the trade in illegal timber. This trade devastates forests, people and wildlife across vast areas putting animals like orang-utans and tigers at real risk of extinction.

What can you do?

Next time you’re out shopping for wood or paper, check for the little Forestry Stewardship council logo. The logo tells us that the product is made from wood, which comes from a forest that is regularly inspected and conforms to the high standards of conservation set down by the FSC.

Protect our Wildlife

Orang-utans have suffered greatly at the hands of logging in recent years. The scale of their suffering is highlighted by the fact that they have lost almost 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years alone. This has driven the species to the point of extinction and the orang-utans need our help.

Along with looking for FSC approved products you can adopt an orang-utan, and really help change the world. Orang-utan adoption provides you with a unique opportunity to send funds to the front line of orang-utan conservation. In return you’ll receive a fantastic gift pack in return, making orang-utan adoption a wonderful gift for any occasion.

New Laws

Earlier this year the European Parliament passed a law which bans the import of illegal timber, which should come into force during 2013. This is a monumental step forward in the fight against illegal logging, but it is not the end of the battle. Much more work is still needed to effect the end to this trade which threatens to destroy many of our most loved species