Planet Ark’s Make It Wood campaign aims to increase the use of responsibly sourced wood as a building material. A central component of the campaign is the need for the wood to be certified, which demonstrates that the wood comes from legally harvested and well-managed forests and plantations, and ensures that when a tree is harvested another is planted in its place.
“We are delighted to see the introduction of FSC’s Australian National Forest Stewardship Standard, which has been developed specifically for Australian conditions, and will have a continuing positive impact on Australia’s built environment,” said Planet Ark CEO Paul Klymenko.
“The FSC standard has been developed over 5 years, by representatives of economic, environmental, and social interests. The development process has included extensive consultation, expert input, and testing in the field” said FSC Australia CEO Sara Gipton.
The FSC Standard sets out rigorous requirements, including strong protections for (i) Indigenous rights and sacred sites; (ii) old growth forests, threatened species, and waterways; and (iii) workers’ health and safety. The standard also includes strong provisions for stakeholder consultation and local jobs. Some components of the Australian FSC Standard will undergo review and further strengthening in the near future, as FSC globally invests in further developing standards to ensure worker’s rights, health and safety.
“Credible and quality ethical labels are vital when it comes to supporting positive change in procurement and building progressive thinking across many sectors. We are proud to work with FSC,” said Good Environmental Choice Australia CEO, Kate Harris.
“At GECA, we also know how much work goes into developing a robust standard and the amount of effort bringing along multiple stakeholders can take. Well done on 5 years of hard work! We look forward to seeing the wonderful outcomes for our unique flora and fauna, and for our communities across Australia.”
And similarly, WWF Senior Manager, Species Conservation - Tim Cronin, said, “It’s great to see the FSC National Standard finalised, and credit to the Standard Development Group for sticking at it over a long period of time. With FSC a global system, a strong National Standard is critical for ensuring consistency and local relevance, and ultimately ensuring that threatened species, forest biodiversity and ecosystem services are sustainably managed and conserved.”