Forest certification
Certification of constantly sustainable forests management (PEFC)
(Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes)
Certification of constantly sustainable forests management is the process in which an independent certification body reviews whether the forest management fulfils the certification criteria of constantly sustainable forest management (CSFM). Those are defined by certification scheme. In case the certificated subject fulfils established conditions, the certification body issues the certificate. This certificate confirms that certificated forests are managed by constantly sustainable way.
The forests certification or forest products is also direct economic device to carry through a certain principles of forests management into practice. Important lumber companies claim certificated wood. Their products are certificated too, which informs the customer that the future of forest had not been endangered by their production. The Chain of Custody (C-o-C) is the confirmation for customer buying the product that the wood the product is made of, comes from the certificated forest. All lumber mills participated in production of this good have to be owners of C-o-C.
Each participant of certification process who has fulfilled the conditions of certification scheme, will obtain “The Certificate of Participation in Forests Certification“ from the state-owned company Lesy SR. Issued certificate imposes for us higher demands to the quality of performed work, to forest ecologization, to manipulation with logging waste, to observance safety rules at work and to abidance of technological practices. Its importance rises with expansion and keeping communication with wood customer and the third parties or interest groups in context of forests management ( Civil Service and Self Government Bodies in areas of relevance, Bodies of Environment Protection, local population, villages ) and wider public. Validity of the certificate is time-limited for the five-year period maximum. After expiration of this period, the complex revision of coincidence of management will be done.
Rights and duties of certification participants:
- keep a register of legal documents testifying their relation to managed property
- accept own politics CSFM minimally at the level of “Program goals PEFC at constantly sustainable Slovak forests management”
- name a person responsible for fulfilling politics of CSFM and for managing forest activity
- reate an adequate organizational system with the description of activities, powers and control mechanisms at fulfilling politics of CSFM
- organize and regulate the management at forest according to authorization plan
- provide demonstrably fulfilling of certification criteria (SFCS 1003:2009 Criteria and indicators of constantly sustainable forests management) by single contractors, which are companies performing forests management operations based on the contract with owner
- separate wood material coming from uncertified and controversial sources
- establish control mechanisms for monitoring the fulfilling of SFCS demands, accept precautionary and remedial measures and control their fulfilling
More information on www.pefc.sk
