FSC, Tasmanian native forests and Gunns

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Australia has described comments in a news release by Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck today as inaccurate, misleading and unhelpful to the Tasmanian forests and forest products industry.

FSC has not certified Tasmanian native forests or forest products. No forest or plantation in Tasmania has been certified to FSC standards and no forest or plantation has been certified as complying with the minimum requirements to enter the FSC supply chain (FSC Controlled Wood).

Tasmanian company Gunns has embarked on a process toward FSC certification but it is at the beginning of this process and it will take time and change in practices before its eligibility for certification can be evaluated by an FSC accredited certification body. Nevertheless we commend Gunns for embarking on this process.

In relation to yesterday’s announcement by Gunns, the statement merely indicated that Japanese customers, who are already FSC certified, have had their verification process for making sure that wood from ‘controversial sources’ – most notably high conservation value forest areas – do not enter their supply chain, accepted by their certification body. That means they can obtain non-FSC certified controlled wood from Gunns on the basis that wood from controversial areas – at this stage coupes listed by environment groups as containing high conservations values – will be excluded from any shipments to these Japanese customers.

Senator Colbreck is not helping anyone in Tasmania – particularly the communities and contractors that work in the forest and forest products industry – by overstating the real situation and creating false expectations in relation to the future.

FSC BACKGROUND
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, independent, not-for-profit, membership-based organization. It provides standards for responsible forest management, an extensive chain of custody system, an accreditation system for certification bodies and a distinctive trademark for buyers of forest products. Founded in 1993, in the wake of the Rio Earth Summit, the mission of FSC is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests. Its governance structure ensures the organisation is independent of any one interest group by requiring an equal balance between economic, social and environmental chambers. More than 130 million hectares of forest have been certified to FSC standards worldwide and 17,000 companies participate in the system.
FSC Australia was established in 2006. More than half a million hectares of tree plantation and forest have been certified to FSC standards in Australia and more than 200 companies participate in the FSC system. These companies are active in the markets for sawn wood, joinery, furniture, flooring, MDF, pulp, paper and printing. FSC Australia has more than 70 members including forest product companies, environmental organisations, and social and community groups. For further information consult: www.fscaustralia.org or www.fsc.org or for a list of certified companies www.fsc-info.org