IKEA furniture manufacturers are depleting Europe’s ancient forests, according to a new report by Greenpeace. At least seven firms behind some of IKEA’s most popular products, including chairs, children’s beds and cots, are sourcing their timber from old-growth forests in Romania, which are vanishingly rare habitats.
Ancient woodlands and Natura 2000 sites affected
The environmental lobbying organisation scrutinised IKEA’s supply chains using both satellite imagery and direct site visits. It found seven firms contracted to IKEA, one exclusively, extracting timber from the ancient woodlands and even sites that supposedly benefit from European Union protection in the shape of the Natura 2000 scheme – a network of conservation and protection zones across the bloc.
At least 30 products made by the manufacturers in question were found in IKEA stores in 13 countries: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.
Rare species threatened
While Greenpeace is not against the use of wood for furniture, arguing that it stores carbon, it points out that around 7% of Romania’s Carpathian woodland identified is over 120 years old and provides a home for rare species such as the brown bear, lynx, wolf as well as other important flora and fauna and that timber for commercial use should not come from protected areas or ancient forests.
“Our nature heritage can’t be turned into pieces of furniture,” said Robert Cyglicki, Biodiversity Campaign Director at Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe. “Old forests are vital to the planet’s health and must be immediately protected. IKEA must live up to its own sustainability promises and clean up its supply chain from old-growth forest destruction.”
Protections held back by financial interests
IKEA has not denied Greenpeace’s findings and has committed to studying the report and eliminating illegal timber extraction from its supply chain. However, part of the problem, says Greenpeace is the law, which does not proscribe logging in protected or Natura 2000 sites – a defense given by one the manufacturers identified in the report. The others have so far failed to respond.
Designating certain zones as “primary or old-growth forests” is not in the financial interests of authorities who want to avoid restrictions. This, Greenpeace says, explains why less than 2.5% (1700 km²) of the Romanian Carpathian forests are protected against logging, even though they meet the criteria for protection under the EU Biodiversity strategy.
