Cornered - Forestry standard worthless without FSC

摘要

When the New Zealand Forest Owners Association (FOA) suddenly published a 'National Standard' last year, it managed to alienate environmental groups, unsettle the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and put at risk its inclusion in any future initiatives. Even worse, the unaccredited standard is about as much use as a chocolate teapot in providing the certification credentials essential to success in environmentally savvy export markets. AFTER FIVE YEARS OF TRYING TO develop a national forestry standardbased on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) guidelines, which resulted in a protracted impasse between the economic and environmental chambers, the FOA suddenly spat the dummy last June and published a 'National Standard for Environmental Certification ofWell-Managed Plantation Forests in New Zealand'. The unexpected move resulted in members of the environmental chamber formally requesting a review of the FOAs membership of the FSC general assembly. The association now faces a hard road back trying to re-engage the environmentalists in any process leading to international accreditation of the standard by the FSC or a similar body.