Tasmania’s Forest Products Association (TFPA) has backed Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s sustainable forest management practices following the public release of its Forest Stewardship Council Australia audit report, which found STT met almost all FSC indicators applicable to it. Source: Timberbiz
The Chairman of the TFPA, Bryan Hayes said STT was already accredited by the world’s largest forest certification scheme, PEFC (known in Australia as Responsible Wood), and TFPA supported STT’s significant progress towards attaining FSC as well.
“STT’s forestry operations are regulated to very high environmental standards and underpin a vibrant, world-class timber industry that employs thousands of people across the state and is vital to Tasmania’s economy,” Mr Hayes said.
“The audit report confirmed that Sustainable Timber Tasmania has a high degree of compliance with the newly created FSC National Forest Stewardship Standard of Australia, meeting 93% of the indicators applicable to it, and STT has committed to working through the remaining indicators needed to secure FSC certification.
“It is pleasing to note that STT have already commenced the process of improving their management practices through the execution of the Swift Parrot Public Authority Management Agreement which sets aside an additional 10,000 hectares of public native forest as breeding habitat for the swift parrot.”
Mr Hayes said the audit report clearly demonstrated where work was required for compliance to be achieved and STT would now be able to clearly see what they need to do before going to a future audit.
“We commend STT and the Tasmanian Government for their openness and transparency in releasing the audit report and for their persistence in pursuit of the additional certification in order to ensure the fullest range of markets are open to the Tasmanian forest industry,” Mr Hayes said.