HMS Victory commits to sustainable forestry certification for its use of French oak
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HMS Victory: The Big Repair is more than just conserving the ship for future generations, but discovering 260 years' worth of stories as we peel back the layers of its history. As we share our research across the globe, our expert team will continue to share the latest news on HMS Victory: The Big Repair.
This month, Deputy Project Director at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Patrizia Pierazzo, shares some exciting news about the project’s PEFC certification and how and why the project team has committed to using sustainable forestry resources.
The importance of using PEFC-certified oak to replank HMS Victory
Supporting natural resources and biodiversity is one of our core values and is at the heart of everything we do as part of HMS Victory: The Big Repair.
When the decade-long project was designed, it recognised that owing to the scale of the operation, keeping sustainability at the forefront of decision-making was going to be paramount.
When it came to sourcing the wood to repair and replace Victory’s hull, we knew this decision would have impact on forestry resources. For this reason, we decided to only purchase oak sourced from France, a country that prides itself on the sustainability of its forestry sector.
To certify our efforts, we are now in the process of obtaining the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) for the project.
What is a PEFC certification?
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is the largest forest certification system in the world which is aimed at conserving the world’s forests. Moreover, PEFC is committed to halting deforestation and promoting practices that do not contribute to forest loss.
Why is it important for HMS Victory: The Big Repair to be PEFC-certified?
By choosing to buy PEFC certified oak, we know that the timber has come from well managed forests which protects the flora and fauna, the people that live and work there and the ability of the forest to regenerate. The certification is a confirmation of the project’s commitment to environmentally responsible sourcing.
What are the next steps to achieving the PEFC certification?
We are engaging with a certification body that will be able to independently assess the sustainability of our oak and will keep monitoring the project throughout.
At project completion, HMS Victory: The Big Repair will hopefully be awarded the final PEFC certification in recognition of our efforts towards sustainability.
Want to see The Big Repair take place in real time?
HMS Victory remains open to the public, where visitors can continue to get onboard the ship, as well as have unprecedented access to the three storeys of the scaffold, where they can watch the conservation project take place in real time.
To find out more about HMS Victory: The Big Repair, visit our dedicated information hub, where we share the latest project updates, milestones, and stories.
