Environmental Benefits
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Dead waste or green resource?
A stand of semi-submerged tropical hardwood trees in the Volta Lake, Ghana. |
Hydro reservoirs often contain large stands of submerged forests. Lacking oxygen, the trees typically do not deteriorate, keeping their outstanding, often old-growth, character.
With the world’s increasing focus on environmental concerns, including tropical deforestation and climate change, submerged forests offer a unique value proposition, with tremendous environmental benefits.
Consequently, the emerging underwater timber salvaging industry has great potential to improve the environmental footprint of the forestry industry. If well developed, it can provide a critical buffer period to help governments and responsible companies establish and enforce regulations and market mechanisms for sustainable tropical rainforest management.
As a major first step, it is preparing the world’s first Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to international standards for a submerged timber salvage operation.
Avoiding Deforestation
A key environmental advantage of underwater timber harvesting is avoided deforestation: each tree CSR Developments salvages will help reduce unsustainable logging of tropical rainforests. Given the scale of operations, this benefit is expected to extend to tropical forests throughout Africa.
Environmental Certification
To help partners and consumers understand the company’s environmental commitment, CSR Developments is applying to the SmartWood Rediscovered Wood Certification Standard offered by Rainforest Alliance. The Standard is designed to ensure that wood products only come from exceptional operations, managed by companies committed to biodiversity, conservation and community engagement.
