FSC Certification Wakefield Biochar has earned Chain of Custody certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). FSC certification ensures that our biochar products are supplied from responsibly managed forests. The FSC is the global standard-setter for responsible forest management. To receive FSC certification, forestry operations must meet environmental, social, and economic criteria that cover compliance with laws and international treaties, land-use and indigenous peoples’ rights, community relations, biodiversity conservation, and maintenance of high-conservation-value forests. Chain of Custody certification guarantees that wood from certified, responsibly managed forestlands is tracked throughout the supply chain, from forest to consumer. Conscientious consumers can look for the FSC logo on wood products to know they are supporting forest management that protects biodiversity and supports local communities. “The certification through the FSC of Wakefield BioChar’s supply of biochar creates a clear message that Wakefield is dedicated to sustainable, carbon-negative solutions for soil health and carbon solutions for manufacturing materials,” said Tony Marrero, co-founder of Wakefield BioChar. FSC Certification Protecting forests for future generations is the FSC’s mission. FSC certification means that the managed forests are “environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable.” Such certification sets the global standard for sustainable forestry. Those receiving this designation are committed to sustainable forest management. FSC’s forest management standards include: Expanded protection of water quality Prohibition of harvesting rare old-growth forest Natural forest cover loss prevention Prohibition of highly hazardous chemicals The prohibition of highly hazardous chemicals includes certain chemicals that are banned in Europe but not in the U.S. Forest managers must engage with local community members and protect the rights of indigenous people. This holds true whether the forests are on public or private land. Annual audits are conducted to ensure that entities continue to conform to and comply with forest management certification. Audit results are available to the public. Our FSC-Certified Biochar Products Our FSC-certified, organic biochar is 100 percent responsibly made from virgin wood scraps supplied by FSC-certified forests in the U.S. If not recycled, these tree scraps would either be sent to a landfill or otherwise discarded. In either case, the wood would decompose, and the decomposition sends harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Instead, these scraps are transformed via pyrolysis–heating at a high temperature in an oxygen-free environment–into an extraordinary soil conditioner. Use this soil conditioner on your garden, lawn, landscaping, and outdoor and indoor plants. It reduces the need for watering and fertilizing. Biochar allows you to enjoy a better garden with less work. While biochar improves the health of any soil, it is renowned for boosting the fertility of poor and degraded soils. It also has the ability to sequester carbon, the greenhouse gas most responsible for global warming and climate change. For every one pound of biochar used, two pounds of carbon are sequestered. Sourcing Our Products From Responsibly Managed Forests Our lives depend on forests. Thirty percent of our global land area consists of them. Seventy percent of terrestrial animals and plants call forests home. Forests purify the air, filter our water, and provide consumers with countless products used on a daily basis. The Forest Stewardship Council’s goal is to unite individuals, businesses, governments, and non-governmental organizations in the permanent protection of healthy, resilient forests. Good forestry management plays an essential role in combating climate change, protecting wildlife, and supporting local communities. FSC is recognized globally as the most trusted forest certification system. Wakefield BioChar is committed to supplying biochar from responsibly managed forests to help meet the growing demand of green building projects, landscaping, and agricultural operations in the United States.