Expansion of UK Sustainable Forests

Expansion of UK Sustainable Forests

Although Aylesbury Box Company can make corrugated cardboard from 100% recycled materials, our standard boxes are made with 76% recycled materials. The combination of recycled and new fibres adds strength to our boxes and is essential for some product packaging, including food items.

Sustainable Forests

Cardboard recycling rates in the UK are around 84%* and when disposed of in the right way, cardboard can be recycled, remade and reused within a fortnight. This makes this paper based material a highly sustainable option. We do however rely on a sustainable source of new fibres and that means trees.

Chopping down trees may not sound environmentally responsible, but sustainable forest management allows woodlands to thrive. A long term strategy has allowed European forests to be commercially viable and the land dedicated to tree growing has increased in recent decades. Around a third of European land is covered with forests.

UK Planting Schemes

In the UK, the figure is lower, at 13%**, but two new planting schemes have brought a positive outlook for conservationist, communities and companies. At the end of 2017, approval was granted to plant 600,000 trees across 354 hectares of land in Northumberland. This marks the largest investment in UK forestry for 25 years. In addition, a formal agreement was signed to allow 170 hectares to be planted with 210,000 trees in Cumbria.

These new UK forests will contain a mix of conifer and native broadleaf species. They will provide long term employment opportunities, wildlife habitat and a future supply of sustainable material, whilst adding to the stunning natural scenery in the North of England. That’s great news to kick start the year!

*source: Confederation of Paper Industries

**source: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2015