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A B O U T F
S C C E R T I F I C A T I O N
Look for the certifying stamp to distinguish between "greenwashed"
and genuine ecological forest products.
Today, a growing number of timber producers and traders are making
environmental claims. Some are accurate, but others are misleading
or exaggerated. How can you, the consumer, distinguish a genuine ecological
forest product from one that has been "greenwashed"? The answer is
credible, independent certification for forestry and forest products
The Certification Process
Forest certification is a voluntary process that ensures consumers
that the wood products they buy were grown and harvested in a way
that protects forests for the long term. Certifiers assess the on-the-ground
forest practices of a given operation against a stringent set of environmental
and social criteria. Operations that meet those standards may identify
their products as originating from a well-managed source. The certifier
also tracks the "chain of custody" of the certified wood to ensure
that it is kept separate from non-certified material at each stage
of processing and distribution from forest to finished products.
Organizations
The Forest
Stewardship Council is a not-for-profit organization that
accredits certifiers whose programs conform to its internationally
recognized Principles and Criteria, thereby providing a consistent
and credible framework for independent certification efforts worldwide.
The two major certifying agencies in the U.S. are SmartWood and Scientific
Certification Systems. The Certified
Forest Products Council promotes
and facilitates the increased purchase, use and sale of third-party
independently certified forest products, providing among other services
a complete list of FSC certified companies and a searchable database
of certified products.
The FSC certification process enjoys the support of most major environmental
groups, including World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources
Defense Council, Rainforest Alliance, Rainforest Action Network, Sierra
Club, The Wilderness Society, and World Resources Institute.
In order to be certified, a company must:
- Meet all applicable
laws
- Have legally
established rights to harvest
- Respect indigenous
rights
- Maintain community
well-being
- Conserve economic
resources
- Protect biological
diversity
- Have a written
management plan
- Engage in regular
monitoring
- Maintain high
conservation value forests
- Manage plantations
to alleviate pressures on natural forests
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