One of Tasmania’s leading forest harvesting companies, SFM Forest Products (SFM), has taken a step closer to providing a fully sustainable timber product with a move to gain Australian Forest Certification (AFS) with assistance from Forest Technical Services – the consulting arm of Forestry Tasmania.
AFS accreditation will mean SFM will be nationally recognised for sustainable forest practices and will provide better opportunities to market timber for Tasmanian landowners, ultimately providing the best return on the forest resource and a reliable source of revenue for many farming families.
Tasmanian owned, SFM currently employs four Forest Practices Officers and up to 15 harvesting crews statewide. The company plans and organises timber harvesting on many of Tasmania’s farms and is one of the largest operators of its kind in the State.
SFM Director, David Wise, said “seeking AFS accreditation provides an exciting opportunity for the company and will provide long-term benefits for the forest industry and Tasmania as a whole”
“AFS accreditation requires that industry best practice methods are utilised throughout the forest harvesting process, including sustainable environmental practices, good neighbour charters and thorough due diligence” Wise said.
“Working closely with Forestry Tasmania is also a valuable experience for SFM as they have maintained AFS accreditation since December 2004”
SFM is also completing their ISO9001 Quality Management accreditation and intends to complete the Australian Forest Certification Scheme in the near future.
