Wood is a renewable resource when harvested properly. Today, already 80% of the world’s ancient forests are gone. In the U.S., about 95% are gone.

To assist their preservation and newer forests' management, certification programs have developed. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) helps establish forest management standards and is the only independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organization that trains, accredits and monitors third-party certifiers. We can recommend FSC certified or approved wood products be preferred.
Sustainable wood flooring is available in certified solid hardwoods, softwoods or composites in strip, plank or parquet styles. Strips, usually narrower than 3-1/4”,and planks, wider than 3-1/4”, are available as virgin certified wood or reclaimed and remilled wood. Both come in tongue and groove edges for a tighter floor, and are available in factory-applied prefinishes, usually preferred by the chemically sensitive person. Many pre-finishes are water based polyurethane. Other sealers and finishes are available.
For strip and plank flooring, oak is the most commonly used wood. Other hardwoods are maple, beech, walnut, ash and pecan. Softwoods are most often southern pine, douglas fir, west coast hemlock, spruce and western red cedar. Whenever your budget allows, specify the thicker size (3/4”) which can be sanded and refinished many times, extending its life several decades and making it a more sustainable choice. The thinner size (1/2”) is initially less expensive, but can usually only be sanded once. Strip and plank composites are being developed from wood waste products.
Parquet is most commonly made from oak, maple, walnut, cherry, mahogany or teak. Sustainable parquet flooring is composed of pieces of wood, commonly held together by glue (like plywood) with a thin upper layer in various patterns and stains. Newer parquet floors have a very thin upper layer and can not be sanded without ruining them. Older, solid wood parquets do not have this problem. Parquet is also available in tongue and groove with factory-applied prefinishes.
When specifying and purchasing wood, remember that terminology can be confusing. Sustainable usually refers to the preservation of the ecosystem, while sustained yield generally refers to the annual production of a given quality and quantity of timber.
LEED points: when choosing sustainable wood flooring: LEED MR Credit 3 - Resource Reuse for reclaimed or salvaged wood, MR Credit 6 - Rapidly Renewable Materials where bio-based board is used, MR Credit 7 - Certified Wood, EQ Credit 3 - Construction IAQ Management Plan and/or EQ Credit 4 - Low-Emitting Materials for agrifiber and composites use.