Nearly half of birch wood certified as sustainable in the UK has been misidentified, with samples traced to countries other than the labeled origin, according to new research. The study suggests that large quantities of timber from Russia and Belarus, which are under European sanctions, continue to be smuggled into Britain. Conducted by World Forest ID—a consortium that includes Kew Gardens and the World Resources Institute—the study focused on birch products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Birch is a widely used hardwood in products such ...