The sustainability team behind Australia’s largest infrastructure project in recent years, the Sydney Metro Northwest project has won the coveted Richard Stanton Memorial Prize for Excellence in Sustainable Forest Management for 2019. Source: Timberbiz
Announced during the Responsible Wood annual general meeting (AGM) in Mount Gambier yesterday – the first to be staged in the Australian Green Triangle – the award and prize recognises the life of a man who was devoted to the forest industry, both in Australia and internationally.
Awarded for the first time to joint winners, the award was won by Nick Clarke and Thirukumaran Jallendran, both were sustainability managers for the Sydney Metro Northwest project proponent Northwest Rapid Transit (NRT).
The prize recognises the significant contribution of both men in achieving what is the largest complex infrastructure project successfully achieving PEFC and Responsible Wood project certification.
Speaking from the sidelines having announcing the joint winners, Responsible Wood CEO Simon Dorries said their achievements represents a high watermark for the application of forest certification in building projects.
“When it comes to achieving forest certification, and demonstrating that timber used on building projects are sourced from sustainable and responsible forests, project certification is the ‘’ultimate” he said.
“In order to achieve project certification, timber sourced from a multitude of different suppliers in the supply chain must meet all requirements for sustainable forest management and chain of custody for forest products.”
Mr Dorries said not only was the Sydney Metro Northwest project the first complex infrastructure project to achieve Responsible Wood project certification, it was also, to date, one of the largest PEFC project certification’s ever undertaken in the southern hemisphere..
“That’s a substantial achievement,” he said.
The dual award winners worked tirelessly with suppliers far and wide to deliver Responsible Wood and PEFC project certification across seven of eight Sydney Metro stations and four commuter car parks accommodating 4000 car spaces.
As Stage 1 of the multi-stage project, the Sydney Metro will eventually include 66 km of rail system, with 31 new Sydney Metro stations servicing Sydneysiders over a wide area.
Reflecting on the legacy of the project, Mr Dorries stressed its “power for lasting good”.
“We know of ‘chain-of-custody’ certificate holders that have sought Responsible Wood and PEFC chain-of-custody certification for this project and have indicated that they wish to maintain chain-of-custody for future projects.
A formal presentation to Mr Clarke and Mr Jallendran will be announced at a later date.
