If we are to manage our forests wisely for the benefit of current and future generations, we need to understand the situation of the world’s forests and ongoing trends. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has gathered data from 234 countries and territories to provide an up-to-date report on about 88% of the world’s forests. The most recent Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) showed that from 1990 to 2015, global forested area declined by 129 million hectares (ha) or 0.31% of the world’s forests. Keep in mind, however, that from 1990 to 2015 human populations grew from 5.3 to 7 billion people (a 30% increase) and the demand for food and land increased significantly. (Note: 1 hectare = 2.47 acres). The largest forest area loss occurred in the tropics, particularly in South America and Africa, while in Asia and Europe there was a net forest gain. North and Central America showed little net change on average. click Read More below for additional detail

Two Sides is excited to announce its newest member, the European Manufacturers Paper Honeycomb Association (EMPHA), the pan-European association for manufacturers of paper honeycomb core and paper honeycomb board products. Packaging and product design, inspired by trees and bees. Founded in Amsterdam in 2010, EMPHA aims to represent the paper honeycomb core industry. Paper honeycomb, or simply ‘Honeycomb’ as it is addressed informally, has the best-in-class characteristics through the combination of superior strength and rigidity because of its unique form of hexagonal shaped cells. The strength and rigidity are paired with extreme low aerial weight per cubic metre. These functional elements make paper honeycomb an attractive alternative for designers of protective packaging or as the base material for the production of doors, acoustic walls, exhibition panels and even furniture.

Australia and Portugal have become the latest countries to successfully achieve the re-endorsement of their national forest certification systems by PEFC. This not only confirms that they continue to meet PEFC’s globally recognized Sustainability Benchmarks, but also ensures that certified forest owners and companies in these countries continue to benefit from the global acceptance of PEFC. This marks the second re-endorsement for Australia and Portugal, with both countries achieving endorsement for the first time back in 2004. The endorsement of the Australian system was particularly significant as, alongside Chile, it became the first non-European country to be recognized by PEFC. Since then, over 10 million hectares of forest have been certified in the country.