PEFC Newsletter September 2011

8/4/2019 PEFC Newsletter September 2011

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A WORLD IN WHICH PEOPLE MANAGE FORESTS SUSTAINABLY To subscribe to the Newsletter lease visit: www. efc.or

China Joins PEFC

PEFC International has unanimously approved theapplication of the China Forest Certification Council

(CFCC) to join the world's largest forest certification

system.

"The Chinese commitment to sustainable forestmanagement and forest certification is to be welcomed,"said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Secretary General.

"China is the country with the fastest growing forest areaglobally, and a dominant player in the global forestproducts market with a growing domestic timber demand

and a competitive export-oriented industry. “

“With the Chinese forest sector embracing forestcertification, a major step forward towards mainstreamingsustainable forest management is being made."

China currently has the highest afforestation rate of anycountry or region in the world, increasing its forest coverfrom 12% twenty years ago to more than 20% by 2010.

With more than 200 million hectares of forest, China isone of the most forested countries globally, and iscontinuing to implement policy measures to increase the

quality and quantity of its forests.

The total output of the forest sector is expected to reach2.26 trillion Chinese Yuan by 2012 and employs close to60 million people.

"Joining PEFC is an important milestone towardsinternational recognition of the Chinese forest certificationsystem," said Mr Wang Wei, Deputy Director General ofthe Center of Science and Technology Development, theState Forestry Administration (SFA) of China.

"PEFC offers us an important forum to share

experiences and knowledge, and may eventually assistus in accessing markets for wood products originatingfrom certified forests."

More than 3.4 million hectares of forests in China areexpected to become certified to CFCC in 2011,following an agreement between Beijing ZhonglinTianhe Forest Certification Center and the YichunForest Authority announced earlier this year.

By joining PEFC, CFCC has fulfilled an importantprerequisite for applying for PEFC endorsement, a stepthat is expected in the near future.

"We have been promoting PEFC certification in Chinafor the past four years through a dedicated PromotionsOffice, and are looking forward to working closely withCFCC towards international recognition," explained Mr.Gunneberg.

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No 51Se 2011

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A WORLD IN WHICH PEOPLE MANAGE FORESTS SUSTAINABLY To subscribe to the Newsletter lease visit: www. efc.orA WORLD IN WHICH PEOPLE MANAGE FORESTS SUSTAINABLY Subscribe to the Newsletter: pefc.or

No. 51,September 2011

PEFC Stakeholder Dialogue:Recognizing the real value offorest products in a changing

climate

9th November 20119am-6pm - followed by cocktailHotel Royal Plaza Montreux, Switzerland

All too often, the full range of benefits derived from thesustainable management of forests are not integratedthroughout supply chains nor incorporated whencomparing the sustainability of different sectors. Whilestakeholders are eager to ensure that wood used inforest products originates from sustainably managed

forests and go to great length in defining and assessing“sustainability”, there is little market recognition of theoverall benefits of sustainable forestry and related trade,especially compared to other raw materials.

The Stakeholder Dialogue seeks to reflect on thesepositive attributes of the forest sector, and works tostrengthen our unified position on the market. Moreover,the dialogue seeks to advance the sector by showcasinginnovations that are bringing new means of valuing andutilising forest products and services. Finally, recognizingthe broader global environment and developmentchallenges, we will consider new methods for advancing

the sustainability of the sector beyond sustainablesourcing.

Specifically, the dialogue seeks to: Build unity & clarity amongst the forest sector to

better position and promote the use of forest

products

Highlight innovations in the sector which offer

new opportunities for valuing and utilising forest

products & services

Enhance the sectors ability to link sustainablefibre supply to broader ambitions of full product

sustainability with links to Life Cycle Analysis,

GHG Emissions and product footprinting, for

instance

Establish a plan to further disseminate findings

and strengthen the sector‟s position

The dialogue is open to all interested stakeholders,however please note that prior registration is requiredand space is limited. Kindly register online by 18th

October 2011 at http://bit.ly/oDi13m and pefc-montreux.eventbrite.com

And theWinners of the2011 PEFC

CollaborationFund are ...

Building on a PEFCcornerstone of „Think Global – Act Local‟, PEFC is pleasedto announce the winners ofthe 2011 PEFC CollaborationFund.

The five selected grantees are Eko Zona – Sipovo

(Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ingenieursbureau EvanBuytendijk (Netherlands), Kadioan (Philippines), PEFCCanada, and Stichting Probos (Netherlands).

“We were overwhelmed with the number of proposalswe received from organizations all around the world,making really positive contributions to sustainable forestmanagement”, said Sarah Price, Head of Projects &Development at PEFC International. “However, the fivesuccessful projects present particular promise and wereally look forward to the opportunity to support theirdelivery”.

PEFC‟s Collaboration Fund seeks to support membersand partner organizations in their dedicated efforts toadvance sustainable forest management and forestcertification around the world, and wishes to extend itssupport to encourage locally relevant advancements inthe sustainable management of forests.

PEFC‟s launch of the Fund also coordinates with the2011 International Year of the Forests, which is focusedon Celebrating Forests for People.

The following five projects were selected to receivefunding from the Collaboration Fund:

“Sustainable forest management & PEFC certification inBosnia and Herzegovina private forests” (Eko Zona – Sipovo) aims to build awareness and interest amongstthe B&H forestry sector and to commence thedevelopment of a national certification scheme.

“Forest group certification for small forest owners in theNetherlands” (Ingenieursbureau Evan Buytendijk) willdevelop a new innovative tool to support small forestowners who wish to apply for PEFC forest managementgroup certification. Such an approach may be useful notonly in the Dutch context but also in other countries

where forests are in the hands of small forest owners.

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“Introducing Forest Certification to Indigenous People asa possible tool for Rights recognition” (Kadioan) aims atnot only raising awareness about forest certification in thePhilippines, but also to further advance the way in whichcertification can include and recognise indigenousknowledge and forest management systems. Thisinnovative project will develop further potential for thePEFC certification schemes in tropical countries and alsohelp to facilitate exchange of experience betweenIndigenous Peoples in the Asia region.

“Promotion of CSA, CSA-PEFC Linkages, and CertifiedProducts” (PEFC Canada) aims at building awarenessthroughout the marketplace for PEFC and its linkage withthe CSA SFM standard. Indeed with more than112,000,000 ha PEFC certified in Canada, stimulatinginterest and awareness in the market is key to success inthis country.

“Forests, Keepers of Time. Dealing with historical,cultural and spiritual sites and structures in forests”(Stichting Probos) will build much needed awareness onthe existence of cultural heritage sites throughout Europeand provide a practical tool – in the form of a field guide – to support forest managers in identifying and protectingthe sites. Through funding this publication, PEFC issupporting the dissemination of best practice andresearch.

PEFC International is looking forward to working withthese organizations and to supporting the delivery of their

innovative and exciting projects. We believe they offerreal and meaningful contribution to PEFC‟s vision of aworld where people manage forests sustainably.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/qUopQ2

Netherlands Rejects Complaintby NGOs, Confirms PositiveJudgement of PEFC

The Dutch Timber Procurement Assessment Committee(TPAC) confirmed in July that PEFC Internationalcomplies with the Dutch Public Procurement Criteria forTimber.

The Committee rejected an objection against its positive judgement on PEFC International filed by five Dutch non-governmental organizations as unsubstantiated. TPACconcluded that there are “no grounds for revising its final judgement on PEFC International” and reconfirmed that“PEFC International provides the guarantee that nationalsystems comply with the TPAS criteria.”

TPAC was set up by in 2007 to assess certificationsystems for sustainable forest management against the

Dutch Procurement Criteria for Timber within thecontext of the Dutch Public Procurement Policy. Itassessed PEFC as conforming to the DutchProcurement Criteria for the Dutch market in 2010. Outof eighteen principles, PEFC achieved a score of 2 (thehighest score) for fifteen principles and a score of 1 forthree principles.

Five Dutch civil society organizations filed an objectionagainst this judgement, WWF Netherlands (WereldNatuur Fonds), Greenpeace (Stichting Greenpeace),Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples, NCIV(Stichting Nederlands Centrum voor Inheemse Volken),the Dutch Interchurch Organisation for DevelopmentCooperation (ICCO), and Friends of the EarthNetherlands (Vereniging Milieudefensie).

TPAC writes that “it has thoroughly assessed PEFCInternational […]. Based on this thorough assessment,TPAC concludes that indeed PEFC Internationalprovides the guarantee that national systems complywith the TPAS criteria.”

The response to the objection also highlights thatcertification systems cannot be held responsible forissues beyond their control. TPAC responds to thecomplaint that PEFC decision making bodies do notcomprise certain interested groups that “interestedgroups often voluntarily choose not to participate in thePEFC decision making bodies in spite of being invited.This may also be caused by the fact that FSC

International does not allow its Board members to alsoparticipate in the decision making bodies of anothercertification system.”

While TPAC did not comprehensively assess therevised PEFC standards, the Committee noted that theyrepresents a further strengthening of the PEFCrequirements especially concerning two of threeprinciples for which PEFC did not score full points, therights of indigenous peoples (TPAS Principle 2) and theprotection of biodiversity (TPAS Principle 4).

Further Information - http://bit.ly/rn4AuF

PEFC Condemns Death ofEndangered Sumatran Tiger

PEFC notes with concern the video released yesterdayby Greenpeace concerning the death of an endangeredSumatran tiger in Indonesia.

According to a WWF report of the incident of 5th July

2011, based on its own observations and informationfrom local people, “the tiger was caught in a snare thatwas set up to catch wild boar but the poor tiger was

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crossing the area and finally got trapped”. This is in linewith earlier reports by local authorities from 30 June 2011that the tiger was caught in an illegal wildlife trap set bylocal people from the Medang hamlet.

WWF further reports that “the tiger could have beensaved if its condition was reported earlier”, and explainsthat “the Sumatran tiger population was spread outsidethe protected areas, including the company's concession.In the concession area, the tigers usually pass throughand cross the area to other forest corridor to find prey.” An investigation conducted by WWF-Indonesia TigerPatrol Unit revealed that there is indication that snarewas made of nylon and sling.

Mr Osmantri of the WWF Indonesia Tiger Patrol Unit saidthat “[…] to prevent unintended catch of protectedanimals, WWF suggested that snares particularly thosewhich are made of nylon and sling or similar materialsinside the tiger habitat are strictly prohibited.”

PEFC confirms that there are no PEFC-certified forests inIndonesia. Currently the only two systems active in forestmanagement certification in Indonesia are LEI and FSC.However all global forest certification systems allow for aproportion of uncertified wood to be included in labelledproducts provided they do not come from controversialsources.

PEFC calls on the Indonesian government to work withlocal stakeholders to thoroughly investigate this tragedy.

At the same point in time, PEFC regrets Greenpeace‟sattempts to link the tragic death of the tiger with forestmanagement certification. The cooperation of all partiesis essential to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/mODxeW

PEFC Publishes Results ofComplaint against APP

In a report published in July 2010, Greenpeace providedinformation that APP, which had obtained PEFC Chain ofCustody certification, was utilizing material from illegalsources, which would constitute a stark violation ofcertification requirements. Based on the information,PEFC immediately filed a formal complaint against APPwith SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd. - Qualifor Programme,the relevant certification body in this case.

In response to this complaint, SGS commissioned aninvestigation to examine whether APP was using illegalmaterial as input into APP mills certified against the

PEFC Chain of Custody standard as claimed byGreenpeace. The investigation found that all material waslegal.

The results were reported back to Greenpeace oncethey were received. There has been a delay inpublishing the results to allow for follow-up discussionswith Greenpeace and for further evidence to besubmitted. As no further evidence has beenforthcoming, PEFC is publishing the results aspreviously indicated.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/nNfZJ0

PEFC Requests Investigationof Recent GreenpeaceAllegations

As the world's largest forest certification system, PEFC

takes its responsibility towards stakeholders andcustomers very seriously. The recent allegations byGreenpeace against a PEFC-certificate holder,Cottonsoft, requires further examination.

PEFC has therefore decided to ask the SGS SouthAfrica (Pty) Ltd. - Qualifor Programme, the relevantcertification body in this case, to investigate the situationand to provide clarification regarding the content ofsupposedly PEFC certified material produced byCottonsoft.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/nkSGh8

On the Ground 2011 – TheControversy of Greenpeace

A report entitled “On the Gr ound 2011 – Thecontroversies of PEFC and SFI” was published on 11thJuly 2011, in the name of Greenpeace, on the FSCwebsite. PEFC welcomes the acknowledgement byGreenpeace of recent changes to PEFC standards andthat these “have been strengthened in several places”.

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Both PEFC and Greenpeace share a common vision – sustainably managed forests. A major difference betweenGreenpeace and PEFC is that Greenpeace is a pressuregroup that uses campaigns as a principle means toachieve its goals, whereas PEFC, a membershiporganisation engaged in multi-stakeholder standardsetting, uses social dialogue to further its objectives.

Both approaches are different and indeed can from timeto time complement each other. However, whencampaigns threaten the common vision and the effortsput in by thousands of stakeholders involved in socialdialogue, then we have a duty to speak up and point outwhen the other is wrong – even if it is Greenpeace.

“On the Ground 2011” claims to assess “whether thePEFC label gives buyers of wood and paper productsminimum assurances around those issues”and concludesthat “the principal drivers for PEFC‟s current weaknessinclude weak standards, weak governance, poor or non-existent stakeholder consultation, a lack of transparency,an inadequate dispute resolution mechanism and auditpractices that cannot meet the expectations of a systemfor ensuring on the ground meet even the current weakstandard.”

It also states that the report “is not a comparison of certification systems - it does not comprehensivelyconsider how PEFC compares with the ForestStewardship Council (FSC) and makes few references tothe FSC system” because, it reasons, “FSC is excluded

from this analysis because of its balanced governancesystem, equal participation by NGOs and socialstakeholders, and its more robust complaintsmechanism.”

FSC, the Forest Stewardship Council, is an alternative,competing certification system.

But, how truthful and accurate are these statements – and is the report at all objective?

Greenpeace describes itself as “[…] an independentglobal campaigning organisation that acts to change

attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve theenvironment and to promote peace […]”. With an annualincome of close to 200 million Euros (2009), Greenpeaceis among the best-resourced not-for-profit campaigningorganizations globally.

When it comes to forest certification, Greenpeace has along history of exclusive engagement with the ForestStewardship Council (FSC), an organization of which it isa founding member. This engagement is of a formal aswell as of an informal nature, with Greenpeace providingmarketing support for FSC and being engaged in itsgovernance structure.

PEFC is troubled by the fact that the Greenpeace reportwas initially published on the website of FSC. While

Greenpeace does not disclose the author(s) of thereport[viii], it appears to have been written by a formerFSC employee.

Furthermore, an initial review of the report revealed thatalmost all of the sources used in the report have director indirect links to FSC and/or its founding membersand other supporters. Moreover, the review uncovered amultitude of factual errors.

We have therefore sought to clarify some of the issuescontained in the report (see On the Ground 2011 – TheControversy of Greenpeace (Annexes)) to providestakeholders with a comprehensive and accuratepicture of the context in which certification takes place.We have also included further information on someaspects where we clearly have a different outlook thanGreenpeace about the solutions to the problems offorest certification.

PEFC believes that collaboration beats confrontation – every time. We take all criticism regarding ourorganization very seriously and endeavour to cooperatefully with those who seek to understand or enquireabout our work and achievements. Any form ofdialogue between stakeholders, however, must be heldin an open, transparent and truthful manner, and bebased on the best intentions in order to be trulyconstructive and bear fruit.

We sincerely hope that, notwithstanding the criticism of

those who do not share the same perspective, we canengage in constructive, forward-looking dialogues forthe benefit of forests and people.

Read the PEFC respond: http://bit.ly/qglDui

Social Group Supports LegallyBinding Agreement on Forests

A group of five

non-governmentalorganizationscalled onstakeholdersglobally tocollaborate to halt deforestations and forestdegradation.

The organizations, which included with the Programmefor the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) andthe Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) the world's twopredominant forest certification systems, said that"expanding sustainable forest management requires

cooperative and transparent processes among allstakeholders and governments."

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The statement was made at the Ministerial Conferenceon the Protection of Forests in Europe in Oslo by the fiveorganizations that form the Social Organizations MajorGroup, namely Building and Woodworkers' International(BWI), the International Council for Game and WildlifeConservation (CIC), the Union of European Foresters(UEF), FSC, and PEFC.

The Social Organizations Major Group recognized that"robust, credible and transparent forest certificationsystems are effective, voluntary tools providingassurances for sustainable forest management."

In addition, the majority of the Social Organizations MajorGroup welcomed a call for the mandate by the MinisterialConference for negotiating a legally binding agreementon forests in Europe.

"PEFC supports a legally binding agreement that willimprove forest management of forests that are not yetcertified as sustainably managed," said Ben Gunneberg,PEFC Secretary General.

"Although this is good news for Europe, it is howeverespecially in tropical countries that improved forestmanagement would add the most value in tacklingclimate change, protecting biodiversity, and alleviatingpoverty. In many of these countries, it is forestcertification that offers the greatest potential in promotingand mainstreaming sustainable forest management."

"Yet with forest certification still lagging behind itspotential in these regions, we recognize that a commonset of principles needs to be supported by allstakeholders, including governments, to provide directionas to what is needed to best promote the certification ofsustainable forest management.”

“This is why PEFC is supporting the 'Rio ForestCertification Declaration'; a document which we hope willguide discussions in the run-up to the Rio+20 conferencenext year. We call on all stakeholders to also support theDeclaration. You are invited to sign it at www.rfcd.org."

Further Information - http://bit.ly/mNQfTM

PEFC Welcomes YouthOrganization into itsMembership

The Earth Focus Foundation, a Swiss-based organizationthat works with youth around the globe to empower themto take an active role in shaping the world in which they

are living, has joined PEFC, the world‟s largest forestcertification system.

“Today‟s young people are tomorrow‟s foresters,business leaders, politicians, researchers and activists.The work that we at PEFC are doing in promotingsustainable forest management around the globe willeventually be continued by today‟s youth,” said SarahPrice, Head of Projects and Development at PEFCInternational. “Moreover, youth is – as everybody else -affected by the way forests are managed. Weappreciate that they now have a voice at internationallevel within PEFC, through the Earth FocusFoundation.”

The Earth Focus Foundation provides a platform toencourage youth to express their views on theenvironment and solutions to ecological problems andserves as a voice to promote these views to other youthas well as to the public.

It engages in wide variety of projects, including youthconferences, debates and roundtables, and publishesthe Earth Focus Magazine, a professional publicationwritten by young people and circulated worldwide.

“Young people have an enormous stake in the future.We as a youth organization hope to be able to provide alink between rather technical subjects such as forest

certification by making it relevant to youth,” said Anthony Simon, President of the Earth FocusFoundation and President of Marketing, UnileverBestfoods (retired).

“PEFC, with its think global, act local approach is well-suited to accommodate and benefit from the specificexperiences and viewpoints of young people, and wehope to be able to facilitate their involvement andrepresent their interests at global level.” “In addition tobecoming involved in our processes, youth can easilymake a difference by simply looking for the PEFC logowhen purchasing paper, pencils, furniture or wood

products,” explained Mrs. Price.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/rfDQIy

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New PEFC Member in Russia

PEFC welcomes the Russian National Council ofForestry Certification (RNCFC) as the new national PEFCmember in Russia. RNCFC will promote PEFC

certification in Russia, a country with an estimated 800million hectares of forest area, the equivalent to over 20% of the world's total forests.

"Forest certification is becoming an increasinglyimportant topic in Russia, in particular for its export-oriented forest sector," said Ben Gunneberg, PEFCSecretary General.

"Especially European markets are increasinglydemanding PEFC-certified products, and it is thereforeimportant that PEFC is represented in Russia through anactive, committed and engaged national member.

RNCFC is well-positioned to work with forest owners andcompanies alike towards expanding PEFC certification."

RNCFC replaces the Partnership on the Development ofForest Certification, whose membership was terminatedearlier this year due to the non-payment of membershipfees. With the new member in place, the suspension ofthe endorsement of the Russian National ForestCertification (PEFC-FCR) has also been lifted.

"We have been encountering increasing interest in PEFCcertification and are therefore glad that it has beenpossible to continue the development of the PEFC

system with almost no interruption. We are also gratefulfor the support and assistance that we have beenreceiving from stakeholders over the past few monthsduring the transition period," said RNCFC ChairmanAlexander Isaev.

"With clearorganizationalstructures now inplace, we areready toencourage theuptake of PEFCcertification byboth forestowners as well as

by companies and to increase the recognition of PEFC inthe Russian market," continued PEFC Russia DirectorAndrey Ryzhkov.

More than 320,000 hectares of forests have so far beencertified in Russia in Leningrad Province northeast of St.Petersburg, demonstrating that forests owners are able toachieve compliance with the PEFC requirements.

"PEFC certification offers a real solution for companieswishing to utilize best practice in the forest industry,"concluded Mr. Gunneberg. "We invite Russian forest

owners and companies to take advantage of thebenefits that PEFC certification offers."

Further Information - http://bit.ly/opNVTb

FOREST 2011France Launches PhotoCompetition

In celebration of the Forest 2011, PEFC France isrunning a photo competition. Entitled "Passion Forêt,"photographers are encouraged to submit photos

depicting what forests means to them, in terms ofnatural beauty,cultural orrecreationalvalue, or as themost biodiverseterrestrialecosystem onour planet.

The UnitedNations has

designated 2011 International Year of the Forests; a

year when the world celebrates people's role in themanagement and conservation of forests. As the world'slargest forest certification system, PEFC is participatingin the 2011 celebrations with a range of activities atnational and international level.

The PEFC France photo competition is being heldunder the patronage of environmentalist MaudFontenoy, a spokesperson for UNESCO and the WorldOcean Network, Vice-President of the NationalConservatory for the Coastal Region of France(Conservatoire national du littoral), member of theEconomic, Social and Environmental Council, and

President of the Maud Fontenoy Foundation. Maudachieved global recognition for being the first woman tocross the North Atlantic and the Pacific in a rowing boat,in 2003 and 2005 respectively.

The competition will run until 15 November 2011.Original photographs must be submitted via the PEFCFrance website and accompanied by a title and a 150-word caption describing it. It must also be accompaniedby details of the time and place where the picture wastaken. The competition is open to French residents only.In total, forty photographs will be awarded, all of whichwith a forest or wood theme and donated by PEFC-

certified partners. The main prize consists of a 3 day/2night stay in a treehouse.

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Netherlands In Search of theForest of the Year

In celebration of the International Year of Forests, PEFCNetherlands, in collaboration with the ReformatorischDagblad, have launched a contest to identify the mostbeautiful Dutch forests.

Readers of the Reformatorisch Dagblad have nominateda total of 50 forests for the title "Forest of the Year 2011",selected from proposals put forward by the DutchNational Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten, one of thelargest environmental organizations in the Netherlands,the twelve provincial governments, and the Federation ofPrivate Landowners.

The 50 forests are now presented on a special website,www.bosvanhetjaar.nl, and people are asked to vote fortheir favourite forest by 15 September 2011. The winningphoto will be named "Dutch Forest of the Year, 2011'.Prizes will include:

Honour!

A beautiful sign that says "Forest of the Year

2011' on PEFC-certified wood.

A video report with the Reformatorisch Dagblad.

3 years free membership of PEFC Netherlands.

Free trips and wildlife observation in the forest

PEFC Netherlands and the Reformatorisch Dagblad hopethat the "Forest of the Year" competition may contributeto increased attention to the magnificent forests in theNetherlands.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/qZzN8C

TECHNICAL

PEFC Endorses Canadian

Standard for Small WoodlotOwner; Re-endorses NationalStandard

Both the Canadian Sustainable Forest ManagementStandard (CAN/CSA-Z809-08) and the CanadianSustainable Forest Management for Woodlots and OtherSmall Area Forests (CAN/CSA-Z804-08) have beenendorsed by PEFC International, the world's largestforest certification system announced today.

"It is satisfying to see that it has been possible to delivera workable standard that responds to the specific needs

of Canadian woodlots owner and at the same timecomplies with PEFC International's SustainabilityBenchmarks," said Peter de Marsh, President of theCanadian Federation of Woodlot Owners (CFWO),which initiated the development of the standard in late2003."

"Canadian woodlots are on average less than 40hectares in size and generally owned by rural families,with particular values that the standard needed toaddress. This standard gives woodlot owners acrossCanada, which together produce approximately 15% ofthe Canadian wood supply, access to the benefits ofPEFC certification."

CAN/CSA-Z804 - Sustainable Forest ManagementStandard for Woodlots and other Small Area Forests

was developed by the CSA(Canadian StandardsAssociation) TechnicalCommittee on SustainableForest Management. Themain requirements arebased on the Criteria andIndicators for SustainableForest Managementapproved for Canada by theCanadian Council of ForestMinisters (CCFM).The standard is very similarin structure and content to

CAN/CSA-Z809 SFMStandard, which firstachieved PEFC endorsement in 2005. Therequirements have however been adapted wherenecessary to meet the practical realities of managingsmall forests owned by families, communities and otherorganizations.

Both standards have been subject to an independentassessment for compliance against PEFCInternational's Sustainability Benchmarks and publicconsultations at both national and international level.

53 woodlot owners in Nova Scotia have already brokennew ground with certification to the standard in a pilotprogram supported by the provincial government. Theprogram has now grown to cover 92 woodlot ownersand 107 woodlots.

Peter Duinker, Professor of Resource andEnvironmental Studies at Dalhousie University andChair of CSA's Sustainable Forest ManagementTechnical Committee, said, "This is a milestoneachievement for sustainable forest management inCanada. I'm so proud that the first woodland certified tothis standard is right here in my home province."

Further Information - http://bit.ly/pVAuft

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Uruguayan Forest CertificationScheme Achieves PEFCEndorsement

PEFC International is pleased to announce that itsGeneral Assembly has endorsed the Uruguayan ForestCertification Scheme, following a comprehensiveindependent assessment for compliance with PEFC'sInternational Sustainability Benchmarks, a Panel ofExperts review, and deliberation by its Board of Directors.

"This is an important milestone for forest management inUruguay," said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC SecretaryGeneral. "This scheme is the only national forestcertificationsystem which

exists inUruguay that hasbeen developedin a participatory,consensus-driven processby stakeholdersforstakeholders."

"With the forest sector playing an important role in thesocio-economic development of the country, theadditional market acceptance and market access that

PEFC certification provides will contribute to furtherstrengthening the sector and benefitting society," MrGunneberg continued.

Uruguay is one of the few countries in the world whoseforestry development relies extensively on renewableforestry plantations. The country has made forestry anational priority, utilizing land previously used for grazingand areas with marginal farming potential for forests.Forestry has created a wide range of direct and indirect job opportunities providing five times more jobs on a perhectare basis than farming, and in addition forestrywages are 25% higher.

This has benefitted women especially as much of theland now under forest cover was previously used forlivestock and agriculture, which offered feweremployment possibilities for women.Weyerhaeuser, one of the world's largest forest productscompanies, established a presence in Uruguay in asearly as 1996, with a land base of now almost 150,000hectares.

John Guerin, Managing Director for WeyerhaeuserEurope, welcomed the opportunity of being able to obtainPEFC certification for their supply base in Uruguay.

"Weyerhaeuser is committed to sustainable forestmanagement, and certification to nationally developed

forest certification systems offers the most crediblemethod to demonstrate sustainability. With customers inEurope and elsewhere demanding PEFC certification asevidence for responsible sourcing, we are eager to bothbenefit from and promote the certification of forests inUruguay to the new standard," Mr. Guerin said.

The Uruguayan Forest Certification Scheme achievedPEFC endorsement on 29 June 2011.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/pwZbSM

Ireland Requests PEFCEndorsement

The Irish Forest Certification Standard is seekingendorsement by PEFC for the first time, and interestedparties from around the world are encouraged toparticipate in the global public consultation, an importantelement of the independent assessment process, by 22September 2011.

"We're pleased to be able to present the Irish ForestCertification Standard for assessment to PEFCInternational," said William Merivale, Secretary Generalof PEFC Ireland. "Irish forests have never been certifiedto a nationally approved forest certification standard thatwas developed in multi-stakeholder, participatoryprocesses, so this standard is a major step forward forthe credibility of forest certification in Ireland."

The PEFC Irish Forest Certification Standard wasprepared during an intensive 21-month period in aninclusive and transparent process involving a balancedrepresentation from economic, social and environmentalinterests with knowledge of the Irish forestry sector.It has also been designed to comply with existing Irishand European forest management guidelines andlegislation, including the Pan-European OperationalLevel Guidelines for Sustainable Forest Managementagreed at the third Ministerial Conference on theProtection of Forests in Europe in Lisbon in 1998. Thestandard was subject to national public consultation andpilot-testing.

Forestry is of increasing importance in Ireland. At theturn of the 20th century, Ireland's forests covered only1% of the country's surface area, however in just over100 years there has been a tenfold increase, and nowextends to almost 11%. Of this, 55% is owned by theState, and 45% by private forest owners. The widerforest industry now employs about 16,000 people andaccounts for approximately 1% of GDP.

"Given the increasing demand for PEFC-certifiedtimber, we are eager to be able to provide forest owners

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and managers with the option to obtain PEFC certificationfor their sustainable management practices," said Mr.Merivale.

The Irish Forest Certification Standard is now beingindependently assessed for compliance with PEFCInternational's Sustainability Benchmarks. The globalpublic consultation is part of the assessment process,providing stakeholders worldwide with the opportunity tocomment on the standard.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/oQFDDh

Global Stakeholders Commenton Swedish Forest

Management System

After a two-year revisionprocess, PEFC Sweden hassubmitted the SwedishForest Standard to PEFCInternational for re-endorsement. Stakeholdersglobally provided feedbackon the compliance of theSwedish standard withPEFC Internationals‟

Sustainability Benchmarks.

With PEFC Internationallimiting the validity ofendorsements to five years,national schemes must be revised in multi-stakeholderprocesses and apply for re-endorsement to continuebenefitting from PEFC recognition. In line with theserequirements, the Swedish forest management systemwas revised for the third time during 2009-2010.

More than twenty organizations representing differentstakeholder groups, including forestry, wood

manufacturing, environmental and social interests,participated in the revision process, known as Forum TDIII.

“The focus of the revision process was to integrateexperiences from the ground as well as recent scientificfindings, and to further clarify specific aspects of thestandard,” said Åke Barklund, Secretary General andManaging Director of the Royal Swedish Academy ofAgriculture and Forestry and Chairman of Forum TD III.“The revision work was undertaken in a spirit of openness, with a wide variety of differing interests beingconsidered and wisely balanced.”

The revision process at national level included morethan half a dozen face-to-face meetings of Forumparticipants and other stakeholders. A national publicconsultation resulted in more than 130 comments, all ofwhich were considered by the Forum TD III.

The Swedish forest management system is now beingindependently assessed for compliance with PEFCInternational‟s Sustainability Benchmarks. The globalpublic consultation is part of the assessment process,providing interested parties with the opportunity tocomment on the standard.

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Malaysian Forest Management

Standard Open for NationalPublic Consultation

National Stakeholders were encouraged to participate inthe public consultation of the final draft of the revisedMalaysian sustainable forest management standard.The revision is in line with international practices asimplemented by PEFC, which specifies that nationalcertification standards must be revised at least everyfive years.

Regular revisions are an important aspect of crediblecertification as they ensure continuous improvement,allow for the integration of best practices, andencourage ongoing dialogue among all stakeholders.PEFC is the only global certification system thatrequires and implements regular revisions for allstandards.

The final draft ofthe MalaysianCriteria andIndicators forForestManagementCertification(MC&I(NaturalForest)) is theoutcome ofdeliberations of amulti-stakeholder Standards Review Committee andincorporates comments from two previous publiccomment periods and regional stakeholderconsultations.National stakeholders provided further input during a60-day public comment period that ended in July.

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Global Public Consultation onCzech and French Forest

Certification Systems

The national forest certification systems of the CzechRepublic and France have become the latest systems toseek PEFC endorsement for the third time. Stakeholdersglobally are invited to provide feedback on theircompliance with PEFC International's SustainabilityBenchmarks by 28 October 2011.

With PEFC International limiting the validity ofendorsements to five years, national schemes must berevised in multi-stakeholder processes and apply for re-

endorsement to continue benefitting from PEFCrecognition.

As part of the endorsement process, PEFC seekscomments and feedback from all interested parties toensure full compliance of the national systems withPEFC's Sustainability Benchmark during a 60-day globalpublic consultation.

"We require stakeholder engagement throughout thestandards development and endorsement processes atboth national and international levels," said BenGunneberg, PEFC Secretary General. "In-depth

involvement of all interested parties ensures that ascheme reflects the best practices and incorporatesavailable knowledge and expertise, and is aligned withtheir expectations and needs."

Arguably, PEFC has the most rigorous assessmentprocess for national certification systems seekinginternational recognition. In addition to thecomprehensive and inclusive process at national level, allstandards are subjected to an independent third-partyevaluation, global public consultation, a review by thePanel of Experts, and consideration by the PEFC Boardof Directors before PEFC members decide about the

endorsement of a particular national system.

All comments received during the global publicconsultation will provide valuable information for the third-party assessor in determining whether the respectivenational system is in compliance with internationalrequirements.

Interested stakeholders are invited to use PEFC's OnlineConsultation Tool - consultations.pefc.org to providecomments by 28 October 2011.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/pyUFq8 and

consultations.pefc.org

NATIONAL NEWSAustralia to Benefit from PEFCGlobal Expansion

PEFC Secretary General Ben Gunneberg travelled toAustralia in July to update a wide range of stakeholdersabout recent significant developments in PEFC(Programme for the Endorsement of ForestCertification), the world's largest forest certificationsystem. The Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) hasachieved PEFC‐ endorsement.

"PEFC is reaching a crucial tipping point, both in termsof standards development as well as for sustainableforest management and Chain of Custody certification",

said Mr. Gunneberg. "With the recently approvedrevised standards, PEFC has introduced a number ofunique criteria specifically focussed on advancing socialaspects in forest certification. PEFC International'sSustainability Benchmarks are now world‐leading, andperfectly placed to expand forest certification specificallyin regions such as Asia, Africa and South America,which still make up less than 10% of the total globalcertified area."

The revised PEFC standards for sustainable forestmanagement certification, Chain of Custodycertification, and standard setting, approved inNovember 2010, add a number of requirements notfound in any other global forest certification system.

This includes references to essential internationalagreements such as the United Nations Declaration onthe Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the forestmanagement standard or Agenda 21 in the standardsetting requirements, and the incorporation of socialrequirements in the Chain of Custody standard.

"We are also at a verge of a major growth in certifiedarea, having recently endorsed system in Uruguay andLatvia, and lifted the suspension of our Russian system.

In addition, countries such as Ireland have applied forendorsement, and a range of countries in EasternEurope have set up initiatives with the aim to developnational standards," Mr. Gunneberg continued. "We'realso excited about our new member in China and itscommitments to PEFC as a major producer of forestproducts. China is also the country with the fastestgrowing forest area globally, and the country's efforts tosustainably manage its forest resources are to bewelcomed."

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PEFC Belgium Releases 2010Annual Report

Marketing was at the centreof PEFC Belgium's activitieslast year, and the 2010Annual Report updates on awide range of initiatives,including a new websites,revised leaflets, mediacampaigns, and exhibition atvarious events and fairs.

The report also containsinformation on the lateststatistics, both in terms of

certified forest area as well ascertified companies.

"2010 has been a very successful year for PEFCBelgium, with Chain of Custody certification increasing by17 percent," said Vanessa Biebel, PEFC BelgiumSecretary General.

"Roularta, one of the biggest publishers in Belgium, nowprints a number of its magazines on PEFC-certifiedpaper. Such initiatives demonstrate that companies taketheir responsibility seriously and represent a majorcontribution to sustainable forest management and forest

certification."

Further Information - http://bit.ly/n5dxb2

FLEGT and CertificationWorkshop in Gabon

“Gabon is among the very few tropical countries thathave developed a national sustainable forest

management standard, with international recognitionthrough PEFC endorsement”, said Sarah Price, Head of Projects & Development Unit at PEFC International, at arecent workshop in Libreville, Gabon. “This makes Gabona true leader in the tropics, offering great opportunitiesbut also bringing with it responsibilities.”

The statement was made at the recent “FLEGT andForest Certification” workshop, organized by PAFCGabon in Libreville. Stakeholders from more than 20organizations, representing public and private sector aswell as civil society attended the meeting.

The FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance andTrade) Action Plan of the European Union provides anumber of measures to exclude illegal timber from

markets, to improve the supply of legal timber and toincrease the demand for responsible wood products. Acentral element of FLEGT are Voluntary PartnershipAgreements (VPA) to ensure legal timber trade andsupport good forest governance in the partner countries.

FLEGT VPA negotiations between the European Unionand Gabon started in October 2010 and are ofsignificant interest to the timber sector.

Forest certification systems such as PEFC go beyondthe scope of FLEGT by not only requiring legality offorestry operations, but also providing assurances ofsustainable forest management.

The objective of the meeting was therefore to discussthe relationship between FLEGT and PEFC certification,and in how far FLEGT may facilitate efforts by the forestindustry to provide not only legal, but also certified,sustainable timber to international markets.

Followingopening remarksfrom SylvainNze Nguema,Deputy DirectorGeneral ofWater andForestryAdministrationand Rose Ondo,

PAFC Gabon,Ms. Price expressed her hope that “the forest sector inGabon will take advantage of the national forestcertification system local stakeholders have alreadyinvested in and that is currently available for use”.

“There are some important overlaps between forestcertification and FLEGT VPAs, and local stakeholderscan benefit from the lessons learnt during thedevelopment of the Gabonese forest certificationsystem in the set-up of a potential future national timberlicensing system,” Ms. Price pointed out.

Participants learned more about FLEGT from RichelieuZue Obame the FLEGT Focal Point.

Christine Nkene, PAFC Cameroon, compared variouselements of the FLEGT and PEFC processes andoutlined the various similarities especially in the systemdevelopment process, as well as some of the maindifferences.

The meeting concluded with a number ofrecommendations on ways to advance PEFCcertification in Gabon.

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PEFC in Tokyo

PEFC Asia Promotions, which promotes the activities ofthe Programme for the Endorsement of ForestCertification (PEFC), the world‟s largest forest

certification system, held a seminar in Ikebukuro, Tokyoof June 14.

Christian Kämmer, PEFC International‟s TechnicalOfficer, outlined the PEFC forest certification programme.Among the Japanese companies that have acquired thePEFC Chain of Custody certification, Kazutoshi Maedafrom the paper sales head office of Nippon PaperIndustries Co., Ltd., which manufactures PEFC certifiedpaper, gave a presentation entitled “Effects of theearthquake disaster on the production and distribution ofPEFC certified paper and the outlook for the future.”

Kazutoshi Maeda of Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.,said, “I expect the needs for forest certified paper will risein the future, and we are putting our efforts into theprocurement of paper that comes with credit. In recentyears, magazine publishers, which have stated their useof forest certified paper, and companies, which havedecided to use forest certified paper for catalogues andcalendars, have appeared.”

Further Information - http://bit.ly/qeaU5q

2010 in Review: PEFC SpainPublishes Annual Report

More and more companies are sourcing timber andwood-based products from sustainably managed forests,according to the PEFC Spain 2010 Annual Report. PEFCChain of Custody certification increased by 41% lastyear, with growth being particularly strong among printersand sawmills.

"With PEFC certification slowly becoming mainstreamamong business actors inSpain, we have specificallystrengthened our outreach tothe final consumer last year,"said Ana Belén Noriega,PEFC Spain SecretaryGeneral. "Consumers have animportant role to play inmaking responsible choiceswhen purchasing paper,furniture, wood and otherforest-based products, andPEFC Spain has engaged in a

number of activities to directlyreach consumers."

Campaigns promoted a wide variety of certifiedproducts, including paper, wood and timber and alsotargeted the print industry, editors, wineries, architects,the construction industry, and the hospitality sector.

Cork in particular has received special attention in Spainlast year, with one of the largest cork manufacturesobtaining PEFC certification for its complete productionof cork stoppers and insulation panels.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/oLHbEV

Spain: Green Building Counciland PEFC Collaborate toPromote SustainableBuildings

PEFC Spain and the Spanish Green Building Council(GBCe) are collaborating to promote best practices inconstruction, including the use of certified timberproducts, according to an agreement that the twoorganizations signed during the International BuildingExhibition CONSTRUMAT in May 2011.

Both organizations are committed to working together todevelop ideas and proposals promoting the benefits of

forest certification and locally certified wood for thebuilding sector.

The agreement was signed by the Chairman of PEFCSpain,FranciscoRovira andGBCePresidentFelipe Pich-Aguilera.Mr. Pitch-Aguilera

invited PEFCSpain to become directly involved in the development ofactivities of the Green Building Council and to providetraining and workshops on timber certification.

Francisco Rovira highlighted the environmental benefitsthat certified forest products such as wood and corkoffer, which make them an indispensible material withinthe framework of sustainable building, including a smallcarbon footprint, renewability and recyclability.This agreement follows a similar initiative by PEFC Italyand the Italian Green Building Council earlier in 2011.

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PEFC and Scottish WoodlandsScore UK First

For the first time in the UK, PEFC certified chipwood froma privately-owned Group scheme from ScottishWoodlands will be delivered to a leading manufacturer oftimber products.

In keeping with its ambitious sustainable procurementpolicies and quest for certified raw material, chipwood willbe delivered to Egger UK, one of the leadingmanufacturersof wood-basedpanels inEurope.John Paterson,

WoodPurchasingManager atEgger UK said"We weredelighted to takethe first deliveries of privately grown PEFC round woodfrom Scottish Woodlands. As a result of increasingdemand for PEFC certified chipboard from ourcustomers, we required a guaranteed supply of PEFCcertified round wood. Scottish Woodlands Ltd respondedto our request and having obtaining PEFC Chain ofCustody was in a position to deliver. We have a long

established trading relationship with Scottish WoodlandsLtd and they have once again proved themselves to beresponsive to market requirements."

The growth in homegrown UK sourced timber and woodproducts has been growing quickly since 2010 when overa million hectares of UK forests were dual certified asPEFC and FSC under the United Kingdom WoodlandAssurance Standard (UKWAS). This far-reachingdevelopment includes all the Forestry Commissionforests in England, Scotland and Wales and some 500privately-owned forest estates, including a number inNorthern Ireland, managed through both the Scottish

Woodlands and UPM Tilhill forest group certificationschemes.

The amount of domestic PEFC certified timber is thrivingand becoming more plentiful and more popular. ScottishWoodlands is at the centre of this boom: the companyhas grown and developed significantly in the last twodecades to become a major player in the British forestryand timber industry, delivering over 750,000 tonnes oftimber per annum into UK sawmillers, and planting inexcess of 25% of the private sector's new woodlandexpansion. Its annual sales in 2010 exceeded £46million.

Rob Shaw, SEQ Director for Scottish Woodlandscommented "we are delighted to be able to deliver UK

domestically produced timber from one of our client'swoodlands which we are managing to the UKWASStandard. Our dual certified status has allowed us tofulfil this order so that the finished products can bear thePEFC label. We look forward to supplying more PEFCcertified timber in the future."

Further Information - http://bit.ly/raz3ZT

SFI Grant Helps Audubon NewYork Link Forest Managementto Bird Conservation

The New York programme of the National Audubon

Society has received a Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) conservation grant to build a stronger linkbetween bird conservation and forest managementalong the Atlantic Flyway.

"This SFI grant will help us develop a communicationsand outreach programme for foresters, forestlandowners and SFI-certified mills in New York State,and transfer our knowledge and methods to seven otherstates along the Atlantic Flyway," said Michael Burger,Director of Conservation and Science for Audubon NewYork.

"Engaging private forest owners in sustainable forestmanagement practices is key to the long term protectionof many priority bird and other wildlife species, and weare excited to be launching this unique effort with SFI."Audubon New York was awarded a total of $14,000over two years through the SFI Conservation and

Community PartnershipsGrant Programme for theproject. It will includeeducational workshops forlandowners, foresters, andSFI-certified mills - whichare required to work with

their suppliers to promoteresponsible forestmanagement on theirforests - as well as site visitsto work with selectlandowners to providespecific assistance.

Audubon is active in forest stewardship in eight statesalong the Atlantic Flyway - New York, Vermont, Maine,Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North andSouth Carolina.

In addition to Audubon New York, project partnersinclude the Empire State Forest Products Association,

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which leads the SFI Implementation Committee in NewYork State. Seven SFI Programme Participants havecertified a total of 1.4 million acres or 567,000 hectares inNew York State to the SFI forest standard, and sevenmanufacturers are certified to the unique SFI fibresourcing requirements.

"Audubon, like SFI, recognizes that all forest interestsneed to work together to reach out to the 600,000 privateforest landowners across the state - includinglandowners, industry, academic research, state agenciesand conservation groups," SFI President and CEO KathyAbusow said.

"Family forest owners want to manage their lands in away that conserveswildlife habitat, and thisproject will provide theexpertise they need tointegrate bird habitatconsiderations into theirforest management plansand practices."

SFI Inc., an independentthird-party forestcertification programme,created the Conservationand CommunityPartnerships Grantprogramme last year to

build on the more than$1.1 billion SFI programme participants have contributedsince 1995 for research activities since 1995, includingforestry research, science and technology.

The SFI 2010-2014 Standard is based on 14 coreprinciples that promote sustainable forest management,including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity,wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests withExceptional Conservation Value, and encouragescommunity involvement. The SFI programme is the onlyforest certification standard in North America thatrequires participants to support and engage in research

activities to improve forestry forest health, productivityand sustainable management of forest resources.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/rmCwF8

SFI Inc. Welcomes Extensionof Maine Forest CertificationProject

Time Inc., Hearst Enterprises, National Geographic

Society, Verso Paper Corp. and Sappi Fine Paper NorthAmerica are building on the success of a recent pilotproject to make forest certification to the Sustainable

Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) standard more accessible tomedium-sized landowners in Maine.

"SFI Inc. welcomes and values this strategic partnership – it is truly a testament to responsible sourcing," SFIPresident and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. "Thisproject shows the power of partnerships and theimportance of responsible forestry from the forest floorto magazine stands."

The initial pilot project that began in 2010 offered arigorous yet more cost-effective and coordinatedapproach for medium-sized landowners to seek forestcertification, as well as offering resources to supportresponsible forest management. This led to an

additional 620,000 acresof lands certified to theSFI standard in Maine.

The project extensionannounced today involvesnew landowners,including HiltonTimberlands LLC, and isexpected to add another600,000 acres of certifiedlands.

"Time Inc. supports SFIcertification because weknow it contributes

directly to responsibleforestry practices," said Guy Gleysteen, Senior VicePresident of Production at Time Inc. "The pilot projectwas a success because it gave us a chance to showlandowners the value of certification, and coordinatedactivities to reduce costs."

"Promoting sustainable forestry and certificationremains a cornerstone of Hearst's purchasing strategy,and we are pleased to have the opportunity toparticipate in another quantum step in the State ofMaine," said David Schirmer, Vice President andGeneral Manager of Hearst Enterprises.

Abusow said it made sense to start the project in Mainebecause of the state's strong commitment to forestcertification. She said the SFI programme is looking forways to expand the work through its network of 37grassroots SFI Implementation Committees.

"The Maine SFI Implementation Committee played akey role in the pilot project, and its members are sharingtheir experience with others across North America," shesaid.

"The National Geographic is committed to do all it can

reasonably do to 'walking the talk' of environmentalconservation and sustainable operations," said HansWegner, Chief Sustainability Officer for National

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Geographic Society. "We know that certifying forestmanagement, harvesting, and replanting practices is acritical part of that goal. We see our participation inexpanding forest certification as a logical and necessarystep in this process."

Through forest certification, forest operations meetrequirements set out in an independent standard such asSFI, and this is verified by a third-party audit. The SFI2010-2014 standard is based on 14 core principles thatpromote sustainable forest management, includingmeasures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlifehabitat, species at risk, and Forests with ExceptionalConservation Value.

About 10 million family forest owners account for morethan 60 percent of private forest lands in the UnitedStates.

The pilot project increased access to SFI certification bycreating a template so medium-sized landowners coulddevelop, implement and coordinate management plans ina simpler and more consistent manner. An independentcertification body also coordinated activities to save stafftime and travel costs.

The State of Maine has more than six million acrescertified to the SFI Standard.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/nRr1bl

STAFF

New Head of Technical UnitJoins PEFC International

PEFC is pleased to announce the appointment ofMichael Berger as Head of Technical Unit at the PEFCInternational offices in Geneva, Switzerland. In this role,

Mr. Berger will be

responsible for thedevelopment,maintenance andintegrity of all technicalaspects of PEFC'swork.

"I am excited about theopportunities andchallenges that this jobentails," said Mr.Berger.

"PEFC is a great success story and has grown in the pastten years to become the world's largest forest certification

system. More than two thirds of all certified forestsglobally are managed in compliance with PEFCstandards, with close to half a million forest owners.”

“Facilitating the on-going development of thesestandards carries with it an enormous responsibility, andI am looking forward to working with stakeholders fromall parts of society in advancing the excellent work thatPEFC has been doing."

Prior to joining PEFC, Mr. Berger worked as anindependent consultant in the area of environmentaland quality management, organizational developmentand sustainable supply chain development for over tenyears.

He gathered extensive experience in the developmentand revision of PEFC certification systems as anindependent assessor, and brings with him detailedknowledge of requirements and procedures ofcertification and accreditation processes.

In his new role, Mr. Berger is responsible for leadinginternational consultation processes and the revisions ofPEFC's international standards, and managing thereview and endorsement of national forest certificationschemes.

He'll also take charge of the complaints and appealsprocedures, and take over the responsibility forcertification-related internal and external capacity-

building.

Mr. Berger, who studied Economics at the University ofAugsburg, and received a PhD in Forestry from theSchool for Forestry and Resource Management at theTechnical University of Munich, is especially thrilledabout the forthcoming work with stakeholders.

"One of the unique features of PEFC is its bottom-upapproach, which encourages participation of peoplefrom all paths of life – from family foresters toenvironmental activists to small business owners andsenior managers from multinational companies."

"Michael is an excellent addition to our team and we arelooking forward to working with him and benefitting fromhis vast expertise," commented Ben Gunneberg,Secretary General of PEFC International.

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PUBLICATIONS & CASESTORIES

PEFC –

The ResponsibleChoice

All sorts of products carry all sorts of endorsements andlogos, but there's one which really matters for peopleinterested in the future of the world's forests. Thisbrochure outlines to consumers why forests matter, whatthe PEFC logo means, and what they can do to helpsafeguard the world's green lungs.

Forests are wonderfulplaces. As well as supplying

our need for wood-basedproducts, they offer aprecious living resource,provide habitats and shelterfor all kinds of life, and playa fundamental role inregulating the climate.

If that wasn't enough, anestimated 1.6 billion peopleacross the world rely onforests and what they haveto offer for their livelihoods.

Yet they are under threat from activities such as illegallogging, and clearance for agriculture and urbandevelopment.

The need to conserve our forests and manage themsustainably has never been greater. One thing thatconsumers can do to help is to choose PEFC certifiedproducts.

In fact, once you start looking for it, you will see thePEFC 'green trees' logo in many places. It's a reallyuseful guide to determine whether what you are about tobuy originates from responsibly managed forests. It's the

far-reaching sustainable nature of the programme thatmakes it so valuable.

PEFC's approach to sustainable forest managementincludes detailed environmental, social and economicrequirements, with independent auditors verifyingcompliance of forest managers on a regular basis.This level of assurance has helped PEFC become theworld's largest sustainable forest certification system,which means that its 'green trees' logo will increasinglyappear on more products in the future.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/ooVPOI

Woodlink UK Offers PEFCCertified Alternative toTropical Hardwoods

Beautiful and resilient, hardwoods are highly coveted forhome furnishings, furniture and construction. However,they are also frequently associated with unsustainableforestry practices and deforestation. Now, a British-based company, Woodlink UK, offers a raft ofsustainably sourced and certified hardwoods, includinga new and innovative product: sustainable, plantation-grown Lyptus® timber.

Founded in 2007 and based in Halstead, Essex,Woodlink UK was previously part of Germany's AndersGroup timber specialists. Since January 2011 it is

wholly owned and managed by Cyril Williams. Thecompany specializes in the import and distribution ofquality, sustainable hardwoods including walnut, whiteoak, maple, cherry, ash and tulipwood, and nowLyptus®. Its customers include wood importers, timbermerchants, builders and high-class cabinet makers,among others.

Sustainability isan importantpart of thecompany's ethosand strategy.

Woodlink UKonly trades inenvironmentally-friendly productsfromsustainably-managed sources. It does not trade intropical woods or exotic species. All its sawn timber issourced from North America.

The company has been PEFC certified from the outset.Implementing PEFC certification across its operationswas a relatively straightforward exercise as the previousparent company, Anders, was already certified, enabling

Woodlink UK to build upon already existing processesand audits. Today, 70-80% of the products it trades inare certified. The entire stock of Lyptus® wood is PEFCcertified.

Hailing from plantations in near the east coast of Brazilowned and operated by local company Fibria, Lyptus® is a naturally occurring hybrid of two species ofEucalyptus tree, Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptusurophylla. It has been developed for quick harvesting – typically 15-20 years – and offers many of theadvantages of traditional hardwoods – durability,weather-resistance. Crucially, it is grown on responsibly

managed plantations making it a good alternative totraditional hardwoods such as oak, cherry andmahogany that take decades longer to mature. The

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plantations are certified to Brazil's Cerflor nationalsustainable forestry standard which is recognized byPEFC International.

Another important feature of this wood is that it is beinggrown on plantations which are interspersed with re-introduced native species from the Atlantic CoastalForests of Brazil. Thus, at the same time as offering asustainable supply of wood, these plantations are alsohelping to restore the once severely depleted nativeforest to the region.

Once harvested, the Lyptus® lumber and decking areproduced by the Aracruz Produtos de Madeira S.A.(APM) sawmill, a joint venture between Fibria andWeyerhaeuser.

A strong, hardy, durable, rich-coloured wood, Lyptus® lends itself to many external uses, including as deckingand external frames among others, as well as joinery. Itaesthetic appeal was further confirmed at this year'sRoyal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show inLondon, where it was a key feature of the 'MonacoGarden' – sponsored by the Principality of Monaco underthe patronage of Prince Albert – one of this year's GoldMedal Winners. The garden's eye-catching Lyptus® wood decking proved a particular hit with the judges andvisiting public alike.

Since the Flower Show, Woodlink UK has reported asubstantial increase in demand for Lyptus® wood

decking accompanied by a new-found awareness ofsustainability issues and the importance of certification.

More recently, in August 2011, Woodlink UK was short-listed for a TTJ Market Development Award. Sponsoredby Timber Expo 2011 and Trada Technology, the TTJMarket Development Awards recognize excellence and acommitment to sustainability in the timber industry.

PEFC certification has certainly yielded benefits forWoodlink UK. According to company owner CyrilWilliams, being able to offer certified products gives thecompany a market advantage. Customers are

increasingly demanding certified products fromsustainably managed sources; what is more, they areoften prepared to pay a premium for such products.

Similarly, certified products give Woodlink UK access tonew customers and sectors. For example, architects andmembers of the building profession are increasinglyinsisting on using certified products only.

In the current market and commercial environment, thisplaces a company like Woodlink UK in a more favourableposition than other potentially non-certified suppliers.Now, the introduction of fully PEFC-certified Lyptus®

wood is set to strengthen this position further. By offeringa rapidly renewable, fully sustainable, viable alternative totropical hardwoods, Woodlink UK is in a unique position

to be able to respond to customer and market demandwhile at the same time making an important contributionto sustainable forest management.

In addition to supplying customers with wood and timberproducts, Woodlink UK is also involved in raisingawareness among its customers and members of itssupply chain of the importance and benefits ofcertification. Going forward, the company plans to rampup its efforts in this direction.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/r8Lhx0

Finnish Furniture Group IskuPromotes Sustainable

ForestryIsku is an international, family-owned furnituremanufacturer. Founded in 1928, its head office andproduction facilities are in Lahti, Finland. The group hasabout 40 stores and outlets in Scandinavia, the BalticStates and Russia. It has a staff of some 1,000 peopleof which 500 are employed in production.

Isku designs,produces and sellshigh-quality furnitureand furnishingsolutions for homes,kitchens, publicpremises, offices,trainingenvironments, andthe service andhealth care sectors.Environmental issuesare of key concern to

the company which seeks to promote Chain of Custodycertification throughout its wood supply chain.

Sustainable development is a very importantconsideration for Isku which pays careful attention toenvironmental concerns at all stages of its products' lifecycles, from sourcing of the raw materials to the finaldisposal of the product. The company only sourceswood from sustainable sources.

More recently, Isku has been investigating possibilitiesfor Chain of Custody certification. As a final producer,Isku's Chain of Custody certification is dependent tosome extent upon its distributors.

Where possible, Isku only purchases certified wood,

however its 'certifed chain' is not always complete. Forthis reason, and as part of efforts to ensure that it is acertified link in a fully certified value chain, Isku has

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been actively promoting Chain of Custody certificationthroughout its supply chain.

"It's important for environmental and quality reasons thatwe know where the raw materials we use in ourproduction come from. We want to guarantee that ourtimber supplies come from carefully monitored andcertified forests. Our customers should never be in anydoubt as to what their furniture is made of. We are surethat close cooperation with PEFC Finland will lead us toimplement Chain of Custody certification as a steptowards assuring sustainable forestry," says Arto J.Tiitinen, CEO of Isku.

Many customers appreciate Isku's work in favour ofsustainable forestry. "We chose Isku as our officefurniture provider for our new headquarters in Helsinki,"says Merja Vuorinen, Administrative Manager of Skanskain Finland, part of the global construction and projectdevelopment group, Skanska AB.

"We want to be the leading company in sustainability inour sector, which is why environmental issues play alarge role in our purchasing decisions. The willingness ofa furniture provider to work toward the goal ofimplementing a Chain of Custody certificate is somethingwe include in our requirements when we select partnersfor our commercial development projects. We alsostrongly recommend to the people responsible for ourconstruction projects to only buy certified timber. If that isnot possible, they must at least ensure which kind of

timber is in question and where it comes from," saysVuorinen.

Sourcing from sustainable sources and efforts toimplement Chain of Custody certification confer acompetitive advantage upon companies. Isku willcontinue to promote Chain of Custody certificationthroughout its supply chain now and in the future.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/neHEVn

Spanish ConstructionCompany, ARTEAGA,Promotes Benefits ofCertification

Founded in 2005, ARTEAGA is a small constructioncompany specializing in the production and manufactureof timber structures for housing and other constructionprojects.

Originally located in Barakaldo, an industrial town near

Bilbao, the company is today headquartered in Amurrio,some 40km away. The region is well known for its

abundance of villages with traditional wooden housing,much of it artisanal. ARTEAGA brought to the regionlarge-scale timber structure production. Far fromcompeting with local carpenters and woodcraft workers,the company sought to complement their work throughthe introduction of new skills and wood constructiontechniques. ARTEAGA uses mainly pine and sprucewood which it sources from Spain and Austria.

From the outset, thecompany has sought tointegrate environmentalconcerns in all its activities.The use of timber forconstruction reduces theneed for carbon-intensivecement; in addition, itdecreases the need forstones from quarries whichcontribute to destruction ofmountainsides andmountain habitats.

In addition, ARTEAGA triesto steer customers towardsthe use of sustainable materials for insulation,recommending wood fibre panels in the place ofpolystyrene and rock wool – where possible, itencourages sourcing from certified retailers.

Recently the company has branched into the production

of wooden facades and frames for external finishes onhouses. The company also makes efforts to dispose ofwaste generated on-site as a result of its operations in asustainable manner.

One hundred percent of the wood that ARTEAGApurchases from Austria is certified. The figure is lowerfor wood sourced from Spain because few woodsuppliers in the country have achieved Chain ofCustody certification; however, this is beginning tochange. ARTEAGA is involved in promoting concernsfor sustainability and certification among Spanishsuppliers.

Although the demand for certified products amongSpanish customers remains relatively low, ARTEAGAhas obtained PEFC Certification. It has also recentlyachieved ISO 9001:2008 certification from AENOR (theSpanish quality certification association).

It has also obtained the K21 quality seal. ARTEAGA isa member of the Euskadi (Basque country) associationof wood-sector companies. The Association is theholder of a Group Sustainability Certificate.

ARTEAGA makes concerted efforts to promote among

its customers and suppliers the use of wood and wood-based products from sustainably managed and certifiedsources. This is quite a challenge in Spain where for a

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long time the country's weak economy meant thatconcerns about environmental sustainability were not ahigh priority. In the long run, it hopes that its efforts willhelp to spread the message about the importance ofsustainability and using wood from responsibly managedsources.

Going forward, the company hopes that these efforts willhelp to build consumer confidence in its products andlead to increased demands for its services and sales ofits products.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/qnkoAq

Finnish Forest Owner

Promotes Benefits ofCertification

Finnish forest owner, Katri Simila, is from Toijala, a smalltown of 12,000 inhabitants located about 150 kilometresnorth of Helsinki. Since 1995, Katri and her sister haveowned forest holdings of some 100 hectares distributedover about 10 forest areas in the south of Finland.

These forestsinclude pine,spruces andbirches. Much ofthe wood fromthese forestholdings is soldto saw mills forthe pulp andpaper industries,

with smaller volumes going to the construction sector.Forest residuals – branches and twigs – are sold for bio-energy.

The sisters obtained Sustainable Forest Managementcertification in 1998. They opted for Group Certification.Because of the relatively small and fragmented nature oftheir forest holdings, this is a more viable and cost-effective option. Group Certification of forests isespecially popular in Finland where many forest holdingsare less than 30 hectares. It is encouraged by thegovernment. According to Katri, almost 100% of forestowners in Finland are certified while some 70% of 'forestchains' have obtained Chain of Custody certification.

Almost all of Katri and her sister's customers are alsocertified. They choose to sell only to certified operations.According to Katri, forest certification yields severalimportant benefits.

In Finland there is considerable awareness of theimportance of sustainable forest management among

consumers and the government. As a result, forestcertification improves sales prospects.

Without certification it becomes more difficult to sellwood and wood-based products. It also helps to securecustomer loyalty as purchasers and consumers of woodand wood-based products are given assurances thatproducts are sourced from sustainably-managedforests.

Equally, forest certification, with its stringent standards,contributes to the long-term health and sustainability offorests. In that way, they can continue to yield theirconsiderable benefits for economic, environmental andsocietal well-being.

Katri Simila works in the paper converting industry. Sheis currently completing a Masters in Forest Science atthe University of Itä-Suomi. She is a board member ofthe Finnish Forest Management Association ofPirkanmaa and the Central Union of Agriculturalproducers and Forest owners (MTK), and a member ofthe Young Farmers Organization of Finland.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/nLAnX8

Leading German FurnitureManufacturer Decker

Promotes Benefits of PEFCCertification

Since 1915, creativity, quality and craftsmanship havebeen the cornerstones of success for the woodenfurniture manufacturer A. Decker GmbH, a firmadvocate of the benefits of PEFC certification.The German Borgentreich-Borgholz-based companyspecializes in the production of solid wood furnitureproducts for living and dining areas, ranging fromclassical to modern style.

A member of theGerman QualityFurniture (DGM)manufacturers' guild,Decker furniturecarries the "GoldenM" label, whichprovides assurancesconcerning stability,material quality,durability, and safetyand health aspects.

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The company manufactures its products usingpredominantly local hardwoods such as beech, willow,red heart beech, alder, oak, and wild oak.

Traditionally, Decker has sourced wood from sustainablymanaged forests and chose to obtain PEFC Chain ofCustody certification to document and promote itsresponsible sourcing practices.

ActivitiesEnvironmental considerations are a cornerstone ofDecker's corporate philosophy. The company seeks toensure that sustainability concerns are integratedthroughout the entire value chain, from procurement toproduction to the final product. To this end, Decker usesonly high-quality, environmentally-friendly raw materialsand supplies in its entire production.

By obtaining PEFC certification, Decker is showing themarketplace that in choosing PEFC-certified products,customers and consumers alike can make a valuablecontribution to a healthy environment. As one of theleading furniture manufacturers in Germany, thecompany also demonstrates that its commitment toresponsible forestry is not lip service, but taken veryseriously.

To this end, Decker communicates its PEFC-certifiedstatus not only by labelling its products, but also bypromoting it on its website, in its public relations activities,at trade shows, and in information materials targeted at

its employees, sales representative, distributors,suppliers, and other stakeholders.

Decker also organizes seminars and training sessions atits solid wood academy in Borgholz as well as on-site topromote the importance of sustainability in the woodproducts industry.

The majority of Decker's customers are respondingpositively to the company's commitment to PEFC, yetDecker has noticed that a number of furniture retailersare unfamiliar with the label, and Decker wishes to fill thisknowledge gap.

ResultsPEFC certification is important for Decker because itdelivers:

clear and transparent traceability of timber

global recognition and credibility

prevention of timber exploitation, illegal

harvesting, clear cutting and monoculture

minimization of pesticides

assurances that the wood used in its products

come from site-specific tree species; and

guarantees for customers that the products they

are acquiring are from sustainable sources.

Decker's PEFC-certified status offers assurances aboutsustainability in the entire value chain from the forest tothe finished product.

It complements other elements of Decker's corporatephilosophy and symbolizes the company's forward-looking engagement with raw material timber.

PEFC certification provides assurances to customersand consumers that its timber products originate fromsustainable managed forests. It promotes Decker'stradition of placing strong emphasis on environmentalprotection, sustainability and credibility in all of itsactivities, and is a smart move in preparation for thefuture.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/r42US0

nobilia: Building PEFC-Certified Kitchens in Germany

nobilia is Europe's second largest built-in kitchenmanufacturer and was the first - and for a long time only- PEFC-certified company of its kind. This commitmentto responsible sourcing has assisted nobilia inmaintaining and further expanding its leading role insustainability.

SituationBased in EastWestphalia, nobilia isGermany's leadingmanufacturer of fittedkitchens and numbertwo in Europe.

Every third kitchensold in Germany is anobilia kitchen, with37% of thecompany's productsbeing exported. In 2010, the company recorded sales of € 783 million.

The company employs approximately 2,150 employees.All its products are manufactured in Germany. Thecompany has two of Europe's most modern and efficientkitchen furniture production plants.

Every day, the company rolls out more than 2,200kitchens, representing an annual production of morethan 485,000 kitchens or 4.9 million cabinets. In 2010,the company used 13.5 million cubic meters of particle

board.

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ActivitiesEnvironmental protection has traditionally been veryimportant to nobilia, along with high product and processstandards. As early as 1994, nobilia was one of the firstcompanies to introduce the DIN EN ISO 9001 qualitymanagement system.

In 2007, it introduced the DIN EN ISO 14001environmental management system. That same yearnobilia kitchens were awarded the "Golden M" prize forGerman Quality Furniture. Since 2009, all nobilia kitchensare PEFC certified.

nobilia takes its commitment to environmentalsustainability seriously and has introduced internalenvironmental management mechanisms; it has alsoplaced emphasis on careful use of resources and energy.

The company has always openly and transparentlycommunicated its commitment to environmentalsustainability. In light of this, obtaining PEFC certificationwas a logical next step for the company. nobilia hasworked to rapidly integrate PEFC standards andrequirements into the existing management systems ofthe company.

PEFC certification has already begun to yield results fornobilia. The company relies on large volumes of wood-based materials for its kitchens. PEFC certification hasenabled the company to procure the required volumes ofwood from sustainably managed forests. Suppliers have

been asked to exclusively provide PEFC-certifiedproducts, allowing for all nobilia kitchens to be certifiedsince October 2009.

As part of efforts to promote the benefits of PEFCcertification, in 2009, nobilia chose to showcase PEFC onits stand during a home furnishings expo. A PEFC forestwith real trees and forest land was included in theexhibition and flyers were distributed to around 10,000visitors which explained the origins and rationale forPEFC certification.

Since that time, nobilia has continued to promote PEFC

certification among its customers and suppliers. It hasdeveloped templates for the advertising industry for usein its own sector.

It has also developed merchandise with the PEFC logo,including stickers and door hangers, which can be usedto highlight PEFC during exhibitions and events.

In early 2010, nobilia included a video about PEFC onits homepage and made it available to its tradingpartners for use during exhibitions and trade fairs.nobilia has also emphasized the importance of PEFC insome of its work with the media, including in editorials.

ResultsPEFC certification has yielded positive results for thecompany. nobilia is the first kitchen manufacturer inGermany to have achieved sustainability certification.Given rising levels of consumer awareness this hasafforded the company a key competitive advantage, notonly in Germany but also internationally where PEFCcertification has become a selling point for the company.

PEFC certification also enables the company to offerclear and demonstrable evidence of the origin of the rawmaterials used in its products. This helps to strengthenthe company's position in the market and offers nobiliaand its trading partners a further competitive edge.

The management of nobilia believes that valuable woodresources will in future be increasingly scarce. Fornobilia therefore sustainable forest management is vital.By participating in the PEFC initiative the company ismaking a contribution to a future in which forests aremanaged in a sustainable manner so that timber

resources will still be available in the long term.

Customers' reactions to nobilia's promotion of PECFcertification have generally been very positive.Furthermore, as the number of PEFC-certifiedproducers and products continues to grow, PEFC isgaining in popularity.

nobilia believes that its decision to select PEFCcertification was the right one and its commitment toresponsible sourcing has assisted the company inmaintaining and further expanding its leading role insustainability... Today, for nobilia staff, PEFC is taken

for granted as a feature of everyday life.

Further Information - http://bit.ly/nniUoB

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Documents

PEFC Newsletter September 2011