Responsible Wood’s Simon Dorries travelled to the land of the long white cloud to discuss forest certification at a meeting with the New Zealand Forest Certification Association (NZFCA), the National Governing Body for PEFC in New Zealand. Mr Dorries spoke about the benefits of a joint standard, with the proposed new standard to cover forest managers who have a presence in either market. Source: Timberbiz
“New Zealand and Australia are two of the world’s closest trading partners, this is reflected in the number of Australian and New Zealand forest growers certified under both PEFC endorsed certification schemes,” Mr Dorries said.
“Under the proposed joint standard, forest growers will be able to operate using the same standard in both markets.
“Following the re-brand of the Responsible Wood certification scheme in Australia, PEFC certification in Australia and New Zealand continues to grow from strength to strength.”
Gisborne based HFF (Hikurangi Forest Farms Limited) is the latest New Zealand based forestry organisation to successfully secure PEFC certification.
A member of the One Tree (NZ) Limited, the HFF estate is primarily made up of Pinus Radiata with 27,000 hectares of the total 35,000 hectares of defined forest available for production forest.
PEFC certification continues to grow in New Zealand with more than 470,000 hectares of defined forest area now certified under NZS AS 4708:2014, the New Zealand standard for Sustainable Forest Management.
PEFC certification remains critical for the timber export market, none more so than in South Korea.
From October 1 2018, importers must now present the Minister of the Korea Forest Service with a document that is internationally recognised to certify timber legality.
To demonstrate legality, importers can provide the Minister with a PEFC Forest Management and Forest Product Certificate or a certification from Responsible Wood, the governing body for PEFC in Australia.
In 2017, New Zealand was the largest exporter of log timber to South Korea, supplying more than 40% of the country’s total importation of log timber.
