Certification of forestry activities is considered as a best practice in forest and sustainable resource management, and an important tool for market access. Domestic and international market interest in buying wood products from certified forests has increased steadily and many forest companies in the province have received third-party registration of their forest management programs. While forestry certification is voluntary, it is supported by the provincial government and complements the Forest and Range Practices Act.

BCTS has achieved third-party forestry certification for its forestry operations in all Business Areas. This achievement has required significant collaboration with licensees, contractors and permittees.

The Peace-Liard Business Area has achieved certification in its operating areas through the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). Details about various procedures, checklists, training modules and other aspects of an EMS are available from the following link.

• Environmental Management System (EMS) through the ISO 14001-2004 standard
• Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) through the CSA Z809 standard

An Environmental Management System is the standard that forestry organizations must achieve and adhere to in order to be recognized as a certified forestry operator under ISO 14001, which is the standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization. An EMS allows an organization to arrange and focus its management activities into an integrated, functioning system built on ISO 14001 requirements, including the monitoring and management of environmental impacts and risks within administrative, planning, and operational activities.

Sustainable Forest Management Plans (SFMP), such as the Canadian Standards Association Z809, integrate performance criteria that direct forest management practices over defined forest areas. The SFMP process includes rigorous public consultation with local stakeholders. The Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) system provides a good delivery approach and includes a framework to ensure achievement of the identified performance measures.

Further information on Certifications can be found on the Certification Home Page at http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/het/certification/index.htm