Towards sustainable use of the renewable resource wood in the Netherlands — a systematic approach

Abstract Primary wood is an important renewable resource. To counteract increasing pressures on forests a systematic approach has been developed to achieve a more sustainable use of wood in the Netherlands. This approach aims at using primary wood as efficiently as possible and with appropriate fit. The application thereof has led to an inventory of 81 relatively simple technical wood saving options and 23 options that increase the use of wood by substitution of environmentally less appropriate materials. It was found that overall the consumption of wood in the Netherlands may be reduced by about two-thirds. The application of a similar approach may be feasible for other countries in order to analyse their wood consumption and to find out how to achieve a more sustainable use.