Forest Management: Certification
Scottish Woodlands operate a Group and Resource Manager Certification Scheme ratified by the independentcertification scheme the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). The woodlands within the scheme are managed in line with the principles of the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS).
The principle aim of certification is to improve forest management and enhance multiple values from the forest. In addition, certification will maintain and improve market access for forest products. Independent third party audits of the forest ensure that the forest meets UKWAS standard.
Scottish Woodlands Group Scheme has two membership categories:
Full (Resource Manager) members are clients of Scottish Woodlands where the Company manages the woodlands.
Associate (Group Scheme) members are those who either manage their own woodlands or the management is undertaken by a third party.
Both types of member are required to sign a Group Scheme Constitution to agree to abide by the principles of UKWAS and to manage their woodlands in line with the FSC Principles and Criteria and the PEFC Principles and Objectives (for a minimum 5-year period).
The sections of UKWAS are as follows:
- Compliance with the law and conformance with the requirements of the certification standard
- Management planning
- Woodland design: creation, felling and replanting
- Operations
- Protection and maintenance
- Conservation and enhancement of biodiversity
- The community
- Forestry workforce
As part of the requirements of the UKWAS 2nd Edition (November 2006 - Amended version 2008) woodland owners / managers must take efforts to make local people and relevant organisations aware of the fact that particular woodlands or forests are being evaluated for certification, and allow a period of at least 30 days for public response before that woodland is certified.
Scottish Woodlands Ltd carry out a formal pre-assessment of all woodlands being considered for inclusion in our Group certification scheme. In response to the above requirement for public consultation, all woodlands currently being evaluated for certification via the Scottish Woodlands Ltd scheme will be listed in the Group Scheme Public Consultation list (see link below) for a minimum period of 30 days prior to certification. In addition, and as per section 7.1.1 of the revised UKWAS, local offices may utilize further methods of making local people aware - such as the use of signs in or at the entrances to candidate woodlands, information in local newspapers and local shops, and/or letters to neighbouring owners and interested parties.
Key Developments
1 June 1999 - Scottish Woodlands Ltd become the first forest management company in the UK to achieve Forest Management / Chain of Custody certification
March 2004 - the Scottish Woodlands Ltd Group Certification Scheme was subject to its first 5-year renewal audit by our certification body SGS. Our new certificate was issued on the 1st June 2004. A monitoring summary of the first 5-year period was prepared and this can be downloaded below.
March 2009 - Scottish Woodlands Ltd successfully underwent our second renewal audit and the third version of our certificate was issued on 1 June 2009, further expanded to include the FSC Controlled Wood accreditation to its scope.
February 2010 - Scottish Woodlands achieved PEFC Forest Management / Chain of Custody certification to add to their existing FSC certification.
Membership of a Group Scheme is a cost effective way of achieving certification and the Scottish Woodlands Group Scheme is constantly expanding. As of September 2010, our scheme has 200 members, totaling 86,921 ha; these consist of 26 Associate members and 174 Full members, located from Devon to the Highlands of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Our FSC Forest Management, FSC Chain of Custody, PEFC Forest Management and PEFC Chain of Custody certificates can all be viewed here.
Contact:
Environment & Certification Manager: Stuart Wilkie
Telephone: +44 (0)131 451 2618