The State of BC’s Forests 
The Indicators
Certification — PDF print version
Indicator 24 – Certification
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Overview
- Forest certification is a voluntary, market-based instrument that gives buyers of
forest products assurance that the products come from well-managed forests. The
requirements for certification support sustainability, but certification does not in
itself guarantee sustainable forest management.
- British Columbia is a North American leader in forest certification.
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STATE |
good |
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TREND |
mixed |
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INFORMATION |
adequate |
Questions about forest certification
Related indicators
- Some major customers of the B.C. forest industry (see Forest products) have purchasing
policies that favour certified products. This puts pressure on industry to become
certified to maintain market access.
- Certification may require changes in forest practices (see Silviculture) and
stakeholder involvement (see Public involvement).
- Government and industry may respond to overlap between legal requirements and
certification requirements for forest management and auditing by streamlining procedures
and sharing costs (see Law).
Indicator 24-1
What is the area of B.C.’s certified forest operations?
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- To earn forest certification, a forest operation must receive independent,
third-party verification that it is well managed according to a certification standard
or set of requirements.
- Three forest certification standards are used in B.C.: CSA,
FSC and
SFI.
They address environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainable forest management
(SFM), so they are often referred to as SFM standards or SFM certification.
- In early 1999, no forest operation in B.C. was certified. By June 2004, the area
certified under the forest certification standards increased to 22 million ha (28%
of the province, excluding protected areas and areas converted for agricultural, urban
or other development).
- The ISO
standard for certification of environmental management systems, although not specific to
forestry and less demanding than forest certification, is often used as a foundation for
SFM standards. Including ISO, the area certified by 2004 increased to 52 million ha (65%
of the province, excluding protected areas and converted areas).
- In 2004, B.C. accounted for 39% of the area certified in Canada under SFM standards,
and 37% of the area certified when ISO is included.
Information
- Certified areas include lakes, alpine areas and other non-forest land within certified
forest management units.
- Certified areas are well documented and publicly available.
Sources: Canadian Sustainable Forestry
Certification Coalition, MoF
Related maps: none
Detailed information: Indicator 24-1 (Excel)
Related international and national indicators:
- MP (1999) none
- CCFM (1995) none
- CCFM (2003) none
Indicator 24-2
How much area is certified under each standard?
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- Each certification standard’s breadth of influence across the land base is apparent
from the area certified under the standard.
- B.C.’s first forest certification was under the SFM standard developed by the
Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
Almost 11 million ha are now CSA certified. CSA has process requirements consistent with
those of ISO, and on-the-ground performance requirements related to national forest
values and local objectives established with public participation.
- Next was the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
standard that is widely supported by environmental NGOs and First Nations. The
preliminary standard for B.C. has detailed process and performance requirements. About
0.1 million ha are now FSC certified.
- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
standard developed in the U.S. followed. It also has both process and performance
requirements. Almost 12 million ha are now SFI certified.
- About 45 million ha are certified under the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
standard. It requires operators to meet or exceed all environmental regulations and to
establish processes to ensure continual improvement. It does not set specific
performance criteria.
Information
- Certified areas include lakes, alpine areas and other non-forest land within certified
forest management units.
- Certified areas are well documented and publicly available.
Sources: Canadian Sustainable Forestry
Certification Coalition, MoF
Related maps: none
Detailed information: Indicator 24-2 (Excel)
Related international and national indicators:
- MP (1999) none
- CCFM (1995) none
- CCFM (2003) none
Indicator 24-3
How much of the timber harvest is certified under each standard?
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- Each certification standard’s importance to B.C.’s forest products is apparent
from the volume of timber harvested under the standard.
- By June 2004, operators with forest certification accounted for 32 million
m3/year, or 38% of the sum of government-set allowable
annual cuts (AACs) and the
average harvest from private land not subject to AACs.
- The CSA certified volume increased to 16 million m3/year.
- The FSC certified volume was 0.04 million m3/year.
- The SFI certified volume increased to 16 million m3/year.
- Most operators certified under CSA or SFI are also ISO certified. The total volume
certified under one or more standards increased to 55 million m3/year, or 65% of
the sum of AACs and private land harvests.
- The ISO certified volume increased to 51 million m3/year.
- In June 2004, B.C. accounted for 48% of Canada’s timber harvest volume certified
under SFM standards (CSA, FSC and SFI) and, with ISO included, for 44% of Canada’s
certified volume.
- Further increases in certification are anticipated under all standards.
Information
- Volumes are based on government-set AACs of forest management units or portions of
them, and an estimate for a private land unit.
- Certified volumes are well documented and publicly available.
Sources: Canadian Sustainable Forestry
Certification Coalition, MoF
Related maps: none
Detailed information: Indicator 24-3 (Excel)
Related international and national indicators:
- MP (1999) none
- CCFM (1995) none
- CCFM (2003) none
Indicator 24-4
How much of each tenure type’s harvest is certified?
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- Becoming certified is more important to some operators than to others.
- Forest licences (mostly long-term, volume-based tenures), tree farm licences
(long-term, area-based tenures) and private land outside TFLs collectively account for
over 80% of the provincial timber harvest. They have the highest rates of certification
(respectively, 41%, 57% and 38% under SFM standards, and 83%, 76% and 38% when ISO is
included). Large operators manage most of the forest under these tenure types. They have
a strong incentive to maintain market access by achieving the certification favoured by
their buyers. Also, the Forest Products Association of Canada is requiring its members
to have all their forest operations certified under an SFM standard by the end of 2006.
- Short-term tenures sold by the government’s BC Timber Sales (BCTS) to small
operators on public land account for about 13% of the provincial timber harvest. The
rate of certification for these tenures in timber supply areas is 3% under SFM standards
and 13% when ISO is included.
- The cost of obtaining certification is a significant disincentive for most holders of
small woodlot licences and community forest agreements, but certification is a matter of
principle to some. These tenures have low rates of certification: 0.4% under SFM
standards, 0.7% including ISO.
- Increased certification is anticipated in all tenure types.
Information
- Volumes by tenure type can be derived from publicly available data.
Sources: CSFCC, MoF’s
Certification, Apportionment
Related maps:
Forest Management Units (PDF)
Detailed information: Indicator 24-4 (Excel)
Related international and national indicators:
- MP (1999) none
- CCFM (1995) none
- CCFM (2003) none
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Indicator 24 – Certification
What does this indicator tell us about sustainable forest management?
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State
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good |
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Forest certification is a voluntary, market-based instrument that provides buyers with
assurance that a forest is well managed and meets the requirements of a certification
standard. Some markets now favour forest products from certified forest operations.
Forest certification under the CSA, FSC and SFI standards is evidence of rigorous,
systematic efforts to manage forests well, but does not guarantee sustainable forest
management. Opinions differ about the merits of these standards, but all operators
certified under them are clearly supporting and working towards sustainable forest
management.
B.C. is a leader in forest certification in Canada and North America: 28% of the
relevant land base and 38% of the total provincial harvest are certified. Including the
ISO standard for environmental management systems, 65% of the relevant land base and 65%
of the harvest are certified.
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Trend
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mixed |
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Over the past five years, substantial forest areas and harvest volumes have been
certified under two SFM standards (CSA and SFI) and under the ISO standard for
environmental management systems. Only a small area and volume were certified under the
FSC’s SFM standard. Over the next few years, certification of additional areas and
volumes is anticipated under all standards.
Rates of certification differ substantially among tenure types. This is in large part
due to differences in incentives for, and costs of, certification. It does not
necessarily indicate differences in quality of forest management.
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Information
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adequate |
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The Canadian Sustainable Forestry Certification Coalition monitors certified areas and
volumes for all of Canada and publishes its data, including a report for B.C. only. The
MoF also monitors certified areas and volumes for B.C. and reports data publicly.
Certified areas and volumes by tenure types are not tracked explicitly, but can be
derived from publicly available data.
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The State of British Columbia’s Forests – 2004 |
