Title: The Australian Forestry Standard Australias Forest Certification Scheme
1 The Australian Forestry StandardAustralias
Forest Certification Scheme
Dr Hans Drielsma Chair, AFS Steering
Committee October 2003
2Is this sustainable.?
1989
3Well maybe it is.
1994
4.if it successfully regenerates as part of a
well managed cycle of growth and harvest.
1999
5Why have a Standard?
- Independent verification of performance
against an independent, credible
and publicly available standard - Market pressures
6EMS Certification
- Many forestry companies around Australia have
already achieved ISO 14001 certification - Generic vs specific forestry standard
- Process standard vs performance standard
7International Context
ISO 14001 - 120 mill ha (Canada) -
Technical Guide for Forestry (TC 207/N197)
Forest Stewardship Council - 39 mill ha Pan
European Forest Certification - 48 mill ha
National Standards - Finnish
- Canadian - 18 mill ha - UK
- Swedish etc - US - SFI 39
mill ha - ATFS 10 mill ha Emerging
framework of MR principles
8Certified Forests
9Certified Forests in the World
Hectares (Millions)
2003
10Market Indicators
- Certification is becoming normal business
expectation - Markets are increasingly requiring some form
of certification - Certification is driven more by corporate
retailers/wholesalers and forest managers, than
by final consumer demand
11Development of the Australian Forestry Standard
Standards Australia approve development process
Ministerial Council approve standard
Refer approved standard for implementation
JAS - ANZ - recognise standard - offers
accreditation program for auditors
Standards Steering Committee - project
management - appoint Tech Ref Committee -
Standards Development Organisation
Sponsors - Forestry Mins - NAFI - PTAA - AFG
Technical Reference Committee - provide
stakeholder views - balloted on final standard
12Development of the Australian Forestry Standard
- Technical Reference Committee
- - provide stakeholders views
- - develop and approve standard
- Chair
- public forest agencies ( State Cwlth)
- environment agency
- forest industry (NAFI)
- plantation industry (PTAA)
- private forest grower (AFG)
- union (ACTU)
- forest scientist environmental scientist
- environment groups (WWF (NFN))
- retailer and furniture industry
- design professional
- consumer
- forest contractor
- professional forester (IFA)
- indigenous (ATSIC)
13Development Milestones
Standards Australia accreditation
Multi-stakeholder technical reference committee
Draft Standard released for public comment
(2001) Final Standard released as Australian
Standard Feb 2003 - endorsed by Ministerial
Councils Certifier accreditation procedures
released by JAS-ANZ Development of
chain-of-custody standard Participation in
international discussions on mutual recognition
14How will AFS work?
Performance standard for SFM Voluntary
application Forest Management
Unit/Ownership level
Independent 3rd Party Verification/Certification
15What does AFS cover?
Fibre wood products from forests
Forest Management (to forest gate) All
forest types - Hardwood and softwood
- Native forest and Plantations
All land tenures - Public and
private - Corporate and small private
16What does AFS require?
- Basic management system ( policy, planning,
monitoring and review) - ISO 14001 consistent
- Public participation and consultation
- Protection and management of environmental
and social values - Biodiversity
- Forest Productivity
- Forest Health
- Soil and Water
- Cultural and heritage values
- Social and economic benefits
17How does it Stack up?
- Independent benchmarking against international
standards - Indufor Oy
- Substantive equivalence
- process and content
- All relevant issues addressed
18Future Developments
- Promote widespread support for the standard
within the forest industry and encourage
early adoption - Develop labelling system
- Establish recognition of the standard with
Australian and overseas markets - Establish links and mutual recognition
arrangements with other international
systems - PEFC
- Future review cycles
19Conclusion
Independence and Industry Stakeholder based
structures Certification vs labelling
Credibility in marketplace Contribution to
sustainability Sustainability reporting
20Sustainable Forest Management Managing forests
for many benefits
wood products
Nature conservation
Non-wood products
water and recreational activities
end of presentation