Development of Voluntary Forest Certification in Russia
Voluntary forest certification has become an indicator of environmental quality for wood and forest products. Vice-president of the Union of Timber Merchants and Timber Exporters of Russia, Mr. A.V. Frolov stated that “In recent years, each meeting of people dealing with forest can hardly occur without discussing forest certification as a remedy against all forest diseases” (Forest Certification in Russia #1(01)/2003. Supplement to the Russian Timber Merchant and Timber Exporter Magazine).
Russia is one of the world's largest exporters of industrial roundwood and primary processed forest products. The export volumes of further processed wood have increased considerably in the past ten years and there is no doubt that the development trend will continue.
Russian forestry is of a huge scale and has specific features that must be taken into consideration in all development. The image of Russian forestry in the main export markets is, however, unduly weak and does not do justice to the long traditions and high professional skills in the country's forest management. This weak perception can be changed and certification is a useful instrument for improving and communicating on the performance.
Project on the development of voluntary forest certification system
The urgent need for a voluntary forest certification system was recognised among Russian timber exporters already a few years ago. In November 2003, the project on the Development of Voluntary Forest Certification in Russia was launched. The Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry as well as the Finnish Forest Industries Federation provide funding for the project. The Russian National Voluntary Forest Certification Council headed by Mr. G. Rakhmanin is the acting body in the system development assisted by the independent Finnish consulting company Indufor Oy. The objective is to develop a system that meets international requirements set for forest certification schemes.
Elements of a forest certification system
The project objective is to build up a reliable and cost-efficient voluntary forest certification system that is applicable to the Russian conditions. A forest certification system must have the following elements:
standard for sustainable forest management developed in an open stakeholder process
requirements and procedures for the verification of chain of custody of timber
procedures to implement the system, including provisions to system administration and basic requirements for the certification process
information and training on certification in general and on standard requirements in particular
Progress
The National Voluntary Forest Certification Council has produced draft standard for sustainable forest management that is largely based on the current normative framework. The basic principles on the scheme implementation and certification are also drafted. The development work has been only partially participatory, which most often is the case when the first drafts are produced. The next development phase would need a broader public consultation of the system in its finalisation according to the comments received.
In early 2004, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources launched a parallel and supporting forest certification project with funding from the World Bank. The objectives of these two initiatives are fully compatible and close cooperation between the two projects is aimed at.
Next steps
The remaining project activities will ensure that the system meets the international requirements, e.g., those stated by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). These requirements cover the system development process, standards for sustainable forest management and chain of custody verification as well as the system implementation. The project will aim at a broader participation of stakeholders to the development process, public consultation and revision of the system accordingly.
Two workshops will be organised to increase awareness on voluntary forest certification. The cooperation with the World Bank funded forest certification project is promoted, e.g., through the work of the joint technical working group.
The project will be completed by June 2005.
Text by:
Hanna Nikinmaa
Indufor Ltd.
e-mail: hanna.nikinmaa@savcor.com
Top | Back | Home
|
