PEFC announces public consultation on Australian Forest Certification Scheme

PEFC (the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is pleased to announce the start of the public consultation period for the assessment of the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS).

PEFC has to date successfully assessed and endorsed 13 independent national forest certification schemes covering some 52 million hectares of certified forests, delivering millions of tonnes of certified wood based products from sustainably managed forests to the market place.

Australia is covered by nearly 165 Million hectares of forests of which only 1,7 Million are forest plantations. This leaves 163 Million hectares of native forest of which the majority is eucalyptus but which also includes acacia, melaleuca, casuarina, mangrove, callitris, rainforest and others.

"AFS, a national performance based standard for forest certification, reflects the multi-stakeholder intention to capture community values as well as the science of forest management to support continual improvement towards sustainable forest management" said Mr Mark Edwards, Executive Officer of Australia Forestry Standard Limited, "If the Australian scheme is endorsement by PEFC, it will provide a mark which will be recognized in Australia's niche markets in Europe as well as open up the expanding Asian market which is seriously examining forest certification in relation to product purchases from Australia." The PEFC umbrella, as the world's largest mutual recognition umbrella, provides the mechanism for independent assessment against its 195 requirements for credible forest certification schemes and we urge all interested stakeholders around the world to participate in the public consultation process which forms an essential part of the rigorous assessment process.

Mr Gunneberg added "The independent consultant appointed, after a competitive tending process, is Jaako Poyry Management Consulting, and interested people or organizations are encouraged to view the Australian scheme on our website www.pefc.org and send comments direct to the consultants by 15th May 2004."

Ends
For more information contact:
Mr. Mark Edwards, AFS Limited - Tel +61 2 62813455
Mr. Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Council - Tel +352 2625 905

Consultants Details:
JP Management Consulting
Jaakonkatu 3
P.O.Box 4
FIN-01621 Vantaa, Finland
email: petteri.pihlajamaki@poyry.fi

Editor Notes

Forest Certification:
Forest certification is a process which provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that the wood used in the products comes from sustainably managed forest. Sustainably managed forests are those whose management implements performance standards based on internationally agreed environmental, social and economical requirements.

Australia and AFS
Forest Area: 164.9 million hectares of which 98 % are natural forests and 2 % plantations
Production: 24 Million m3 per annum
Importance: Value of turnover of forest product industries 15,077 Million USD representing 1-2 %GDP

The AFS scheme was developed between 2000 and 2002 by a partnership of federal, and state and territory governments, forest and timber industry, indigenous interests, independent scientists, community groups and trade unions with some participation by E-NGO's. To date almost 220 000 hectares of forests have been certified against AFS but this figure is likely to increase to 1.72 Million hectares shortly.

PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes)
PEFC is a framework for the mutual recognition of credible national or regional forest certification schemes that have been developed based on internationally recognised requirements for sustainable forest management. Since its launch in 1999, PEFC has become the largest forest certification umbrella organisation covering national schemes from all over the world, delivering hundreds of millions of tonnes of wood to the processing industry and then onto the market place from over 52 million hectares of certified forests. PEFC has strong grass roots support from many stakeholders including the forestry sector, governments, trade associations, trade unions and non-governmental organisations.