Stakeholders from around the world have been invited to give feedback on the revised Responsible Wood Forest Certification System. Deadline for comments is 28 April 2022. Source: Timberbiz
Responsible Wood revised the national forest certification system for Australia and New Zealand following the entry into force of the revised 2018 PEFC Sustainable Forest Management standard.
The Responsible Wood system was submitted to PEFC after being revised in line with PEFC requirements. The national system is now undergoing the PEFC assessment process, carried out by an independent PEFC registered assessor. Itmust pass this assessment to maintain its PEFC endorsement.
An important aspect of the assessment process is the public consultation. Over the 60-day consultation, stakeholders from around the world can give their comments and provide feedback on any aspect of the system. The registered assessor will use the information received from this consultation in their assessment of the system.
Responsible Wood joined the PEFC alliance in 2002 with the national system endorsed in 2004. The system was re-endorsed in 2009 and 2015. There are currently around 18.6 million hectares of PEFC certified forest areas in Australia.
New Zealand Forest Certification Association (NZFCA) joined PEF in 2015 after their national system was endorsed that same year. There are just over 600,00 hectares of PEFC certified forest areas in New Zealand.
For a national system to maintain its endorsement, it must meet a series of endorsement milestones which are linked to the national periodic review of the system and sustainable forest management standard.
National systems go through a periodic review five years after their national approval (first endorsement milestone). The periodic review includes a gap analysis, public consultation and consideration of feedback received while the standard is in force.
Feedback open at https://consultations.pefc.org/ResponsibleWood/consultationHome
