What is FSC?
FSC is international, non-profit member organization which promotes responsible forest use through certification. The membership consists of forest owners, forest professionals, companies, associations, communities and organizations as well as individuals.
The FSC’s decision-making is divided into three different chambers, which represent environmental, economic and social interests. Members are divided among these chambers depending on their preferences. In decision-making, every chamber has equal rights.
The FSC certificate is based on principles and criteria formed from them. Each actor, from the chain of origin to forestry, timber harvesting, production and sales, has its own standards and criteria. All members have agreed to these principles and criteria through inter-chamber negotiations. Although the FSC is an international organization, each country develops its own criteria for good forest management suitable for local forestry.
What are the objectives of FSC?
The objectives of the FSC are to promote and combine environmentally good, socially beneficial and economically profitable forest management.
Environmentally responsible forest management ensures that the utilization of the forest maintains forest diversity and its high conservation value (HCV) areas as well as forest productivity and ecological functions.
Socially beneficial forest management respects the rights of workers, local people and communities, and helps the above-mentioned, and society to reap the benefits of forests widely in the long term.
Forest management must be financially profitable. However, the economic utilization of forests must be responsible, and needs of the ecosystem as well as local communities has to be taken into account. Economic utilization includes, among other things, the marketing of wood products, increasing the value of products through processing and increasing economic well-being.
How FSC certificate affects to the forest owners?
In the spring of 2019, a much-discussed map material was completed, which was developed through a national risk assessment to assist forest owners and forest professionals in identifying the high conservation value (HCV) sites. These sites must be natural and extensive, and characterized by, for example, decayed woodland.
If the forest is located in an area defined in the map material, the timber buyer will make an assessment of whether the target is an HCV area or not based on the instructions prepared by Tapio Oy. If the site does not meet the requirements of the HCV area, measures will be taken as in a normal commercial forest, despite the map marking. According to Tapio’s estimate, approximately 1–2 % of forestry land is located in the HCV area. However, HCV labeling does not mean that no forestry measures can be taken in the area at all. When taking measures, the preservation of the HCV values of the site should be ensured, for example, in a site with decayed woodland, decaying trees are preserved, and the forest is treated on the principle of continuous-cover silviculture.
Where FSC Controlled Wood comes from?
FSC Controlled Wood comes from forests that are not FSC certified, from sources that meet the requirements of the wood chain of origin. Controlled Wood cannot come from illegal logging or from areas where minority or civil rights are violated. The wood cannot come from high conservation value forests either. When needed, our buyers advise forest owners about FSC related matters during timber trade, so the seller does not have to worry about this in advance.
Why Pölkky wanted to get FSC certificate?
Wood companies and consumers around the world want their raw materials and products to come from sustainably managed forests. FSC is one way to address the concerns of wood users about the origin of the raw material. Demand for FSC products is constantly growing, which contributes to the ability to sell products in changing market conditions. By being involved in the change, Pölkky develops and grows as a responsible company, creating economic well-being in the area.
Jani Jaakkola
Chief Forestry Officer
