Forest Certification

1
Forest Certification

• Alan A. Lucier, Ph.D.
• Senior Vice President - NCASI
• 7th Goddard Forum
• January 30, 2007

2
What Is Forest Certification ?

• A response to demands for assurance that forest
  products contain wood produced in compliance with
  sustainable forestry principles.
• A platform for voluntary negotiations and group
  learning about sustainable forestry.

3
Who Are the Primary Stakeholders?

• ENGOs
• Timberland owners and managers
• Loggers
• Forest products companies
• Major customers of forest products companies
• Providers of certification services and
  information

4
What Do Major Certification Programs Have in
Common?

• Require MORE than compliance with applicable laws
  and regulations.
• Conservation of biodiversity is a major focus
  area.
• Costs are substantial for certificate holders,
  loggers, and program sponsors.

5
Hot Topics in Forest Certification

• NIPF Participation
• Group Certification
• Chain of Custody
• Illegal Logging
• Trade Barriers
• Rights of Indigenous People
• High-Value Forests
• Landscape Management
• Genetic Engineering
• Green Building Codes
• Mutual Recognition
• etc.

6
Strategic Challenges for Forest Certification
Programs

• Increasing participation rate among NIPF owners
• Keeping diverse stakeholders together despite
  differences on hot topics
• Controlling and sharing costs
• Increasing benefits
• e.g., by using knowledge and relationships
  developed in certification programs as
  foundations for progress on other issues.

7
How Can Certification Help Solve Private Forest
Problems ?

• By stimulating investments in
• Logger and landowner education
• BMP implementation and monitoring
• Forest conservation planning and research
• Dialogue and consensus building
• Investments lead to improvements in
• Environmental quality forest health
• Forestry communitys credibility and influence in
  policy and economic arenas