Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Have your say on UK forestry certification: How productive should a forest be?
© FSC UKEvery five years, the standard against which forest management in the UK is assessed for FSC certification, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard or UKWAS, is revised. The revision process takes into account not only FSC’s international requirements, reflected in our Principles and Criteria, but also the views of the many other stakeholders in UK forests.
FSC’s vision for responsible forest management balances what is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable. Wherever possible, it’s important for forests to be productive both to provide the income that funds good forest management and the goods and services that society needs.
Many stakeholders have suggested that the standard doesn’t go far enough in emphasising the productive role of forests, and a new requirement, section 2.4.1 in the draft standard, has been added to address this. This is balanced against a need to maintain the productive potential of the forest, avoid asset stripping and protect endangered species, addressed in sections 2.4.2 to 2.4.5. Let us know whether you think these requirements strike the right balance.
Click here to download a consultation paper, which includes a link to the consultation draft, details of how the draft was prepared and some key questions for stakeholders. Any responses should be sent to ukwas@confor.org.uk by 30 October 2015.