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Help for Forestry Tasmania to gain FSC

Forestry Tasmania has appointed an auditor to help it win crucial Forestry Stewardship Council certification. Source: ABC News

The tick of approval is needed under the forestry peace deal to reduce native forest logging in the state and end the decades-long forest wars.

The state-owned company said it aims to get the highest level of certification available and is on track to win certification by April 2015. But spokeswoman Suzette Weeding says some areas of forests will need to fall under a different category.

“There are certain areas of plantation in particular that don’t qualify for full FSC certification and that’s those that are converted from native forest after November 1994,” she said.

“So our estate contains areas, of course, that were converted post 1994.

“So for those areas, we’ll be seeking FSC ‘controlled wood’ certification.”

An audit company will review progress early next year.

“Included with that, there are also specific requirements of the FSC standards.

“That is to do a high-conservation value assessment on our estate and the forest management unit and also engage with stakeholders thoroughly as part of the process,” said Weeding.

Environment Tasmania has welcomed the appointment of an auditor.

The organisation’s Phil Pullinger said it is crucial Forest Tasmania achieves certification.

“I think that the industry doesn’t have a future without being able to achieve that FSC certification,” he said.

“It obviously also would be highly problematic for the forest agreement because of the way the legislation was structured.”

But Dr Pullinger believes it will struggle to achieve certification by the 2015 deadline.

“FSC certification is a tough certification standard and it will be tough for Forestry Tasmania to achieve the requirements of the FSC certification.”