ZSL #049 The forest behind your floorboards

About this episode

This episode explores the origins of timber used in everyday products and the importance of traceability in sustainable sourcing.

Do you know where the wood in your floorboards comes from? Or your desk, or dining chairs? In this episode, we dig deep into the grain of a global issue that is often hidden in plain sight in our offices, our houses and our cities – tracing timber back to its source. Harriet talks to Annabelle Dodson, ZSL's Sustainable Business Project Manager, and Victor Deklerck, Director of Science at World Forest ID, about how scientists use isotopes to pinpoint where the trees behind our wood products were grown, the role of digital tracking systems in supply chains, and real-world cases where traceability has driven more responsible sourcing and enforcement. This project is funded by Fondation Lombard Odier and the EU through the ECO-SOLVE project. This episode is part of a series showcasing ZSL's Sustainable Business and Finance work. Please note that this podcast was recorded before the European Commission confirmed changes to the implementation timeline of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Compliance requirements for micro and small enterprises have been delayed to 30 December 2026 (previously June 2026), while medium and large enterprises must still comply by 30 December 2025…

People in this episode

Host: Harriet McAra

Guests: Annabelle Dodson, Victor Deklerck

Topics covered

• timber sourcing
• supply chain traceability
• sustainable business
• illegal timber
• isotope analysis

Keywords

• timber
• traceability
• sustainability
• isotopes
• supply chain

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ZSL, World Forest ID, Fondation Lombard Odier, EU

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