Center FM and CoC Audit Scheduled
The Center for Forest and Wood Certification has scheduled their third audit for the week of December 9-13, 2013. All  those forest management and chain-of-custody group members that will participate in the audit have already been notified or will be notified shortly. Scientific Certification Systems will continue to serve as the Center's Certifying Body. The audit will cover forest management Forest Stewardship Council™ and American Tree Farm SystemŽ group certificates and the Sustainable Forestry InitiativeŽ and Forest Stewardship Council group chain-of-custody audits. Read more about the audit and how the Center is skipping this year's Forest Stewardship Council on-site forest management audit on the Center's website here.
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FSC Controlled Wood Comment Period Open
Public consultation on the Forest Stewardship Council requirements for sourcing Controlled Wood (FSC-STD-40-005) is now open. This revision will align the Controlled Wood standards with the new requirement of phasing out company produced risk assessments and using standardized national risk assessments. The new standards will clearly reference new national risk assessments and control measures specifically prescribed for specific risk areas. You can read more about the comment period on FSC International's website here.
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National Risk Assessment Update
The Forest Stewardship Council has required that company prepared risk assessments for controlled wood will no longer be allowed. Countries will prepare a national risk assessment that  each controlled wood certificate owner must reference in their sourcing guidelines. The United States working group is expected to produce a draft risk assessment in the first quarter in 2014. When the draft is released the Center recommends all controlled wood certificate holders review the document and provide their comments based upon their unique sourcing circumstances. FSC-US has communicated to the Center and other certificate holders the importance of maintaining the controlled wood system for the overall health of certification markets. Your comments are vital in order to keep the controlled wood system efficient and functional. Future newsletter editions will provide information and links to comment.
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Better Know a Standard
Periodically the Center will detail a portion  of the forest management or chain-of-custody standard. This edition focuses on an indicator of the American Tree Farm System that forest owners should prepare an active, adaptive, and appropriate management plan. Click here to review this edition.
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Center Sponsors and Support
The Center wishes to thank our sustaining and supporting sponsors. Particular thanks are given to corporate sponsors providing sustaining multiple year commitments including Time Inc., Domtar Corporation, Kentucky Division of Forestry, and NewPage Corp. Sustaining contributions are also being provided by the Central Appalachian Forestry Alliance, Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Department of Forestry, and the Kentucky Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee. Center also wishes to thank organizations for providing endorsement of the Center including the Kentucky Forest Industry Association, Tennessee Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee, Kentucky Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters, and the Kentucky Woodland Owner Association. More information about our partners and how you can support the Center's mission, goals, and projects please visit here.
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