Russian export duties postponed … According to the media company Forbes, Russia plans to postpone the introduction of higher timber export duties by one …

FSC helps to save the great apes … A new WWF report shows that orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees are all getting a helping hand from …

Stora Enso supports FSC smallholder cert … Small forest operations in Estonia now have improved access to FSC certification, after pilot testing a new model for including small forests in FSC certification has proven it …

Belgian supermarket launches FSC certified till receipts … According to a press release from FSC-Belgium, the Colruyt group is switching to FSC-certified paper for its till receipts for a number of its …

FSC contractor cert Latvia … The field test of a new model for the FSC certification of smallholders has been concluded with good results: A group of small private forest operations are now FSC certified, based on their use of certified …

Sourcing legal wood? New corruption index released … Transparency International has released the 2014 figures for the perceived corruption level in most of the world's countries. Gain an overview of the changes and their implications for legal and FSC …

First energy company in Denmark receives FSC certification … NEPCon has issued an FSC chain of custody certificate to the trade arm of the Danish energy company Verdo A/S.  The company is now able to deliver wood chips, pellets and briquettes from …

Agri-schemes top driver of forest loss in Cambodia … A recent study estimates that 90 % of Cambodian timber products are derived from forest conversion, a fact that speaks to the country’s rapid loss of forest cover. The main drivers of deforestation are …

… NEPCon is now an FSC certifier … NEPCon is now an independent FSC certification body. This implies that NEPCon will no longer be providing FSC services on behalf of the Rainforest Alliance. However, …

Is Chain of Custody certification a “myth”? … Doubts over timber industry Chain of Custody (CoC) certification have been raised with growing intensity over the past year. We look at the reasons why the former FSC General Director André de Freitas recently …

Company risk assessments for Controlled Wood remain valid post-2015 … Until now, companies have used their own risk assessments in countries without an FSC-endorsed national or central risk assessment. Company assessments were to be eliminated from the …

NEPCon approved as Sustainable Biomass Partnership certification body … Today, the Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) announced its approval of NEPCon as the world's first SBP …

Green building - a key driver of timber certification … The use of timber in green construction is a growing trend worldwide.  Backed by innovative techniques, its eco-friendly characteristics spell golden times for  sustainable timber as a sought-after …

FSC Policy for Association in action: for better or for worse? … For the second time in two years, FSC has used its Policy for Association to disassociate from a leading timber trader. We take a close look at the impact and repercussions of the …

FSC at risk – PEFC at peace? … Over the past year, Greenpeace has stepped up its public scrutiny of the FSC system. This might lead some industries, particularly in Europe, to see PEFC as the safer choice in terms of avoiding the NGO spotlight. However, …

Time for FSC to be brave … At the close of the FSC General Assembly 2014, the good ship FSC has set its course for the next three years. But will the agreed moves be bold enough to solve the key issues that FSC is struggling with? In this commentary, …

FSC General Assembly 2014: key outcomes … As the FSC General Assembly 2014 unfolded, the temperature went up and down, perhaps reflecting the emotional state of the participants. Despite discords, there was consensus that FSC needs to modernise, to …

Mangrove mania: Snapshots from a field audit … During a field audit in mangrove forests, our auditor team learned about the woes and wonders of this enchanted …

NEPCon returns to “the Lost World" of Sabah … The Maliau Basin is one of the most pristine areas of tropical rainforest on Borneo, home to endangered species such as orangutans, leopards, pygmy elephants and hornbills. NEPCon has entered into a five-year …

FSC certification an asset for forest carbon projects … A study commissioned by the Rainforest Alliance reveals that numerous synergies exist between the FSC Principles and Criteria for forest management and voluntary forest carbon standards. Importantly, …