Fine guitars begin with forests. And forests worldwide have faced a variety of threats in the last 50 years: from deforestation and exploitation to illegal logging and climate change. Nearly half of the world’s original forests have disappeared, impacting more than one billion people who depend on them for their homes and livelihoods. Yet there are reasons for optimism when it comes to forests. The rate of deforestation has slowed by nearly 40 percent since 1990. The importance of forests to the health of the planet and its inhabitants is now increasingly recognized, and forest sustainability is gaining support from wood supply chains and from consumers. Among the forces contributing to this evolution toward sustainable forests, one stands out significantly: the Forest Stewardship Council.®
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