From little saplings green futures grow

Aug 5 2008 by Kelley Price, Evening Gazette

THE seeds of a sustainable future for Indonesian farming communities are being sown right here on Teesside. Environment correspondent KELLEY PRICE reports

MIDDLESBROUGH-BASED furniture retailer Barker & Stonehouse is leading the way in eco-friendly, ethical retailing in the furniture industry.

The family owned firm has co-founded Trees-4-Trees, a non-profit-making foundation that replaces mango trees in Indonesia, which have traditionally been felled to fill homes in the West with stylish wood furniture without much regard for the long-term sustainability of supply.

It is hoped the scheme, which is the brainchild of Barker & Stonehouse managing director James Barker and its suppliers, furniture makers Country Form, will spread to other parts of South-east Asia.

About 100,000 seedlings have already been planted in the central Java region under the project, which will eventually bring together responsible timber manufacturers and retailers.

A further 80,000 seedlings will be planted by the end of this year, but tree replacement is just one part of the foundation’s work.

Beneficiaries must also enrol on farming education programmes to spread knowledge about best farming practices.

While there are no immediate commercial benefits for furniture retailers, the project could be instrumental in helping to safeguard the long-term future of the industry, while at the same time yielding huge dividends for the farming communities it affects, proving that money really does grow on trees.

James said: “We have a fantastic resource here and we need to protect it.

“North America has managed its forests effectively, but if stocks are not well-maintained in other parts of the world and more wood is taken out of the system than is replaced, the price goes up and people ultimately buy less.

“This is not something we’re endeavouring to make a profit out of and we are not legally obliged to do anything.

“But wood is a fabulous product; it’s ideal for furniture if you get it right. We want to make sure it remains the ideal material for the future.”

He developed the idea with Country Form manager Daniel Saunders, a mango wood furniture specialist who has supplied Barker & Stonehouse for 11 years.

The scheme works by distributing free, high-quality seedlings including teak, mahogany and other furniture grades, to farmers and resident land owners who, in effect, have the trees on loan until they are mature enough to fell, in roughly 25 years’ time. Meanwhile, they can make money from selling the mango crop.

Recipients must produce traceable land documents and sign a commitment to nurture the trees and undertake education programmes organised by Trees-4-Trees, which uses a network of agricultural colleges to introduce best practice that will protect the long-term health of the industry.

Sapling survival rates are monitored and the trees’ progress recorded. The scheme will work alongside industry accreditation bodies without being in direct competition.

Country Form was one of the first companies to make furniture out of increasingly popular mango wood but insisted on a sustainable supply.

Daniel, who will oversee the project in Indonesia, said: “Mango is a popular wood for furniture because it’s a very interesting grain.

“We wanted to have an initiative where we could replace trees and give something back to the community at the same time.

“The feeling we’ve got back from other manufacturers is they are excited about this and want to put something back.

“We have had a lot of positive feedback from customers because it’s real, transparent and open to scrutiny. They also like the fact it isn’t in direct competition with accreditation bodies.”

A high-tech GPS mapping system will pinpoint where the trees are grown.

James said: “Our customers can tap into a database that will enable them to see exactly where in the world the trees used to make their furniture are being replaced. They can trace their purchase right back along the line.”

It’s hoped the project, based in the province of Bawen, Central Java, can be taken across other parts of Indonesia and wider South-east Asia.

James said: “What’s so exciting about this project is that it will make a real difference and this is just the start of it.”

Contact Kelley Price with environmental news on 01642 234270 or email

environment@eveninggazette.co.uk