RHS timber policy

The RHS was disappointed to read allegations in The Independent on Saturday 27 May that exhibitors at the Chelsea Flower Show were flouting the Royal Horticultural Society’s policy on timber sales.

The RHS permits the sale of only certified timber from its shows. We verify all exhibitor documentation to establish that timber products have been derived from sustainable sources. Additionally, the RHS employs independent timber auditors to review the products available at each show; the auditors found no evidence of Burmese teak at the Chelsea Flower show 2006. Our catalogues explicitly encourage show visitors to ask for certified, sustainable timber.

The RHS has played a leading role in promoting sustainable timber. When we implemented our sustainable timber policy five years ago, only three retailers could comply with our standards, compared to around 25 today. We feel that represents considerable progress, especially in the context of a market where there is no legislation to prevent sales of non-sustainable timber, and uncertified products are readily available via the internet and advertisements in national newspapers.

We have deliberately adopted a 'step-wise' approach to this issue, with the long-term objective of encouraging companies to subscribe to certification schemes and sell only certificated timber. To date we have excluded 12 exhibitors who failed to comply with our policy from RHS events. Any exhibitor who breaches our policy, following a first warning, will also be excluded.

As Britain’s leading gardening charity, the RHS is committed to conservation and promoting an environmentally responsible approach to gardening, at our own gardens and events, on our website and via the media. However, we do not have jurisdiction over the activities of exhibitors from their own sales rooms, websites, or promotional materials. We hope that by raising awareness of the issues among consumers and within the industry it will help to create the impetus for manufacturers to adopt best practice guidelines, and in this respect we welcome The Independent’s focus on Burmese teak.

What is needed now is EU and international legislation to prevent the trade of non-sustainable timber, the adoption of policies similar to ours by other show organisers, and an agreement by national media to ban advertisements for non-sustainable timber products. The RHS would be pleased to work with legitimate organisations towards these goals.

View the RHS Conservation & Environment leaflet on trees and timber products