Timber targets

Greenpeace is targeting 10 Lottery-funded construction sites (see box), including Wembley, to question their use of timber.
The environmental group has written to the contractors involved, asking them for proof of where their timber is sourced from. Those sites that cannot prove their timber is from sustainable sources, endorsed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), will be subject to protests similar to those that took place on HBG's £20m refurbishment of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow last week.
Protestors chained themselves to railings at the site, but HBG reached an agreement with them to leave the site if work was stopped while the main contractor investigated the source of the site's timber. Work remains suspended.
Greenpeace claimed the timber supplied by Danish firm Junckers does not come from a sustainable source. HBG argued that it has proof of sustainability with a certificate from the Malaysian Timber Industry Board.
A Greenpeace official told CJ: "We want to see proof of where contractors' timber comes from. Those not using FSC timber will be hearing from us."
CJ understands that some of the timber on five of the listed projects is not from FSC-certified sources. The projects are: the Bristol Arnolfini Arts Centre, Lincoln City & County Museum, Liverpool St George's Hall, The West Bromwich Public Arts Centre and Shoreditch Town Hall.
A Galliford Try spokesman said: "In the case of The Public, Arts Centre, the wood is certified to Pan-European Forest Certification, which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification."
However, Greenpeace only recognises FSC.
Wates admitted: "We are using temporary non-sustainable plywood on the Birmingham site."
Multiplex said: "Our subcontractors and suppliers have an obligation to demonstrate to us that they use materials from sustainable resources."
Caddick, working on the Lincoln City & County Museum refurbishment, said: "We have procured our subcontractors based on the architect's specification, and all parties are working towards using FSC timber."
A spokesman for The Deep in Hull said: "We are not using tropical hardwoods. We are in the process of taking up this issue with Greenpeace as we believe our inclusion on the list is based on ignorance."