NEWS

Workshop held on voluntary forest certification in the Caucasus

15-06-2012

A regional workshop on voluntary forest certification and sustainable forest management standards has taken place in Batumi, Georgia, organised by the EU-funded European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENPI) Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) Programme.

Questions on the merits of voluntary forest certification for sustainable forest management were raised by experts. However, evidence shows that hundreds of millions of hectares of forests have already been certified across the globe under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and other schemes. Unfortunately, so far no certified forests exist in the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia).
 
According to an ENPI FLEG press release, the key messages delivered by the participants were:
  • Voluntary forest certification is important as it safeguards sustainable forest management and entering new timber markets;
  • In spite of the present policy, the institutional and legal set-up is still not adequate in the Southern Caucasus: forest certification could be a good tool for achieving greater sustainability in forest management;
  • In general, government representatives support voluntary forest certification.
 
Further discussions focused on the possible initial steps towards supporting the implementation of voluntary forest certification in the Southern Caucasus. Taking into consideration the high biodiversity value and essential ecological functions of forests in the Caucasus, the FSC scheme was regarded as more appropriate to be implemented in this region. The agreed next steps include the establishment of a Regional Initiative Group (RIG) on an informal basis.
The workshop report will be uploaded to the ENPI FLEG Programme website shortly.
 
The €6 million ENPI Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) Programme supports governments, civil society and the private sector in the development of sound and sustainable forest management practices, including the prevention of illegal forestry activities. (EU Neighbourhood Info)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
ENPI-FLEG – website
 
Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) – fiche and news 

 


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