Footprints in the forest - Fern
Footprints in the forest - Fern
Footprints in the forest - Fern
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10cents/ha for <strong>the</strong> <strong>forest</strong> owner 13 ). Ten <strong>forest</strong> owners have applied for <strong>in</strong>dividual PEFC<br />
<strong>forest</strong> certification 14 . Group certification occurs for CoC certification but it was not<br />
possible to f<strong>in</strong>d detailed description of <strong>the</strong> procedure on <strong>the</strong> web site.<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r:<br />
There is no <strong>in</strong>dication on <strong>the</strong> PEFC Austria web site that <strong>the</strong> regional certification process<br />
entails field visits before a certificate is issued. The only requirement to fulfil before a<br />
<strong>forest</strong> owner can become certified is to “voluntarily recognize <strong>the</strong> PEFC criteria by<br />
sign<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> declaration of obligation” 15 .<br />
However, “on-site monitor<strong>in</strong>g” was conducted dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> regional re-audits <strong>in</strong> 2003 16 but<br />
it is unclear if those visits <strong>in</strong>cluded field visits. There is no mention of environmental and<br />
social criteria <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> re-audits (<strong>the</strong> aspects re- audited <strong>in</strong>cluded bus<strong>in</strong>ess activities, system<br />
stability, entrepreneurial <strong>in</strong>vestment, work safety and damage by wild game 17 ).<br />
Certification reports are not publicly available. Even after several written requests from<br />
WWF Austria, PEFC Austria has consistently refused to make available or publish <strong>the</strong><br />
audit reports 18 .<br />
BELGIUM<br />
Name of <strong>the</strong> national PEFC Govern<strong>in</strong>g Body: Woodnet asbl.<br />
Endorsed by <strong>the</strong> PEFCC <strong>in</strong>: February 2002<br />
Number of hectares certified as of April 30 2003: 0<br />
The www.woodnet.com web site given by <strong>the</strong> PEFCC as <strong>the</strong> contact for PEFC Belgium<br />
is actually <strong>the</strong> homepage of a Belgian association, WoodNet, unit<strong>in</strong>g actors of <strong>the</strong> Belgian<br />
wood sector, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> timber, pulp and paper <strong>in</strong>dustry, <strong>forest</strong> owners, <strong>forest</strong> owners<br />
associations, <strong>the</strong> wood process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustry and wood trad<strong>in</strong>g houses. The ma<strong>in</strong> purposes<br />
of Woodnet are “to promote timber and its derivatives” and “to promote and set up<br />
European certification PEFC” 19 . WoodNet was established <strong>in</strong> 1997 by a <strong>forest</strong> owners<br />
association: <strong>the</strong> Royal Society of Private Forest Owners (SRFB). SRFB coord<strong>in</strong>ates <strong>the</strong><br />
activities of WoodNet A.S.B.L., which is curerntly responsible for facilitat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> work of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Belgian PEFC 20 .<br />
13 PEFC Austria Newsletter 1/02 January 2002<br />
14 PEFC Austria http://www.pefc.at/zertifizierte_betriebe_logo/<br />
15 Gernot Arnold, PEFC regional representative, quoted <strong>in</strong> PEFC Austria Newsletter 1/02 January 2002<br />
16 PEFC Austria Newsletter 8/03 April 2003<br />
17 PEFC Austria Newsletter April 20003<br />
18 Press release by WWF Austria – April 2003<br />
19 http://www.woodnet.com/en/filliere/fedhome.asp?fedid=18&lg=FR&mb=M June 2003<br />
20 PEFC Belgium. Belgian Forest Certification Scheme – version 3 (no date mentioned)<br />
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