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NZ gains forest certification through NZFCA

New Zealand has become a PEFC (Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification) member allowing forest growers to gain visibility under one of the world’s leading forest certification systems. Source: Timberbiz

“We are delighted to be accepted into membership of PEFC and to represent PEFC in New Zealand,” said Dr Andrew McEwen, chair of NZFCA.

The NZ Forest Certification Association (NZFCA) is aiming to have a PEFC endorsed certification system based on the New Zealand Standard for Sustainable Forest Management (NZS AS 4708:2014) in place later this year.

With more than 260 million hectares of certified forests, PEFC is one of the world’s leading forest certification systems, promoting sustainable forest management through independent third party certification.

PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards.

Thanks to its eco-label,  customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests.

Many of the countries that purchase New Zealand forest products, or compete with NZ exports, are already PEFC members including China, Japan, Indonesia, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Russia and USA.

Other major markets, such as India, are also looking at joining.

The NZ Standard is an adoption of the Australian Forestry Standard (AS 4708:2013), the basis for the PEFC endorsed Australian Forest Certification system.

“We acknowledge the assistance we have had from Australian Forestry Standard Ltd, financial assistance from the Wood Council of NZ who initiated the project, support from Standards NZ, financial assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the support of PEFC,” said Dr McEwen. “Without their support we could not have so much progress in such a short time.”

“We are pleased for New Zealand to join PEFC, and its commitment to support sustainable forest management,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC secretary general.

An increasing number of companies in New Zealand are taking on PEFC Chain of Custody certification, enabling them to manufacture and trade PEFC-certified products and utilize the PEFC label, a globally trusted forest certification label.

Until now, this only has only been possible with imported material.

Endorsement by PEFC of a New Zealand forest management certification system will allow New Zealand forest owners to obtain certification for their responsible management practices and allow processors and others along the forest products supply chain will be able to procure PEFC-certified material from local, sustainable managed sources.

“This will be beneficial for all those along the forest products value chain, from forest growers to manufacturers and exporters as it opens up opportunities for new markets for forest products produced from NZ forests,” said Dr McEwen.