Forest Management Certification

While the concept of sustainable forest management is global, its implementation is local. This is why PEFC works with local organizations to advance responsible forestry through national forest certification systems.

Forest Management Standard

PEFC Canada now has ownership of the technical content of the withdrawn Canadian Forest Management Standard (CSA Z809:16 (R2021) formerly owned and administered by CSA Group. Work is underway with the PEFC Canada Technical Committee to develop a new standard, based off withdrawn CSA Z809:16(R2021); with a goal to release the PEFC International endorsed standard in 2024.

Regular reviews and revisions are a key part of the continual improvement process to ensure the standard is kept current with the evolution of Canadian values and needs. As part of the revision process, there is an open and inclusive public review and comment period to provide input to the draft standard. The A public review and comment period was completed in spring 2023. The PEFC Canada Technical Committee will review all input received and draft changes as required to address any issues raised as a result of the public review.

Updates in the PEFC Canada draft standard include:

• modernization of the standard to reflect current forest management issues in Canada, including recognition of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• building on the strength of the existing public involvement model while adding flexibility to acknowledge the value of diverse processes and existing public input methods; for example, Indigenous, government, or locally-lead processes that allow for alternate processes;
• better alignment with national and provincial sustainability legislation and requirements;
• more relevant and effective public reporting requirements; and
• improved accessibility for implementation by different types of forest managers across Canada, including Indigenous communities and smaller tenure holders.

The PEFC Canada standard does not compromise on the existing core requirements to meet international sustainability benchmarks for environmental, cultural, social, and economic values. The goal of the PEFC Canada forest management standard continues to be a framework for forest managers to plan and practice forest management activities in a manner that is reflective of the diverse Canadian forest values, and to recognize and protect the multiple benefits derived from Canadian forests.

The diversity of Canadian forests across our huge geographical and ecological range, and the multitude of diverse cultures, adds to the challenge of creating a standard that works in all Canadian jurisdictions and circumstances. That is why the standard requires local input into the process of developing locally derived values and targets for core indicators that link to the international elements and objectives for sustainable forest management through a process that is transparent and inclusive. These foundational aspects of the standard are consistent with the bottom-up approach of PEFC International.

Current Certificates to the withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021) standard remain valid

It is important to note that PEFC Canada’s ownership of the technical content of the withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021) standard does not impact current certificates or users of withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021). PEFC Canada and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) are working cooperatively to ensure a smooth transition for all parties, with support from PEFC International. During the transition period, we can clarify the following points as they relate to certification under the withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021) standard:

• Current certifications completed under the withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021) will remain valid.
• Current public advisory groups will continue.
• Certification bodies can continue to conduct audits to the withdrawn standard and issue certificates to both existing and new users.
• The Standard Council of Canada’s accreditation of certification bodies remains in effect.
• PEFC International endorsement remains in effect.
• Fibre certified to withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021) continues to be recognized as a certified input into PEFC chain of custody.

In other words, it is business as usual for current users of the withdrawn CSA Z809:16 (R2021). When PEFC Canada publishes the new standard, transitional provisions will allow current users to certify to the PEFC Canada standard.

History

In 2008, PEFC Canada was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and applied to PEFC International to become the PEFC National Governing Body for Canada, effective on January 21, 2009.

Canada originally joined the PEFC alliance in 2001 with Canadian Standards Association (CSA) International, part of the CSA International Group which developed the National Standard of Canada Sustainable Forest Management (CAN CSA Z809). This Forest Management standard was first published in 1996, with CSA Group acting as the National Governing Body (NGB). The role of an NGB was outside of CSA International’s normal business and so a new organization had to be created to assume that role.

The initial Technical Committee for the development of a standard for sustainable forest management was established in 1994, based on the concept of multi-stakeholder participation. The basis of the standard is the Criteria and Indicators of sustainable forest management in Canada published by Canada’s Forest Ministers in response to the Rio de Janeiro Environment and Development conference in 1992 Statement of Forest Principles. A key concept of the standard is the use of adaptive management procedures that recognize sustainable forest management as a dynamic process that incorporates new knowledge acquired through time, experience, and research, and that also evolves with society’s changing environmental, cultural, social and economic values. The Z809 standard was revised in 2022, 2008, 2016 and reaffirmed in 2021.

The first Canadian Forest Management standard was endorsed by PEFC March 22, 2005. Since that time, several standard revisions were made, including re-endorsement in June 29, 2011 and March 29, 2018. Work is currently underway with the Technical Committee to finalize a revised standard that will be submitted for assessment prior to September 16, 2023.

The Canadian Forest Management standard has both performance requirements and management system requirements. All certifications require, among other things:

• Recognition of environmental, economic, social and cultural values;
• Forest Ecosystem condition and productivity;
• Conservation of biological diversity;
• Soil and water resources;
• Timber and non-timber benefits;
• Communities and stability;
• Society’s responsibilities;
• Ongoing public participation; and
• Indigenous title, rights and treaty rights.

The Canadian Forest Management standard has been approved by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as a National Standard of Canada. An SCC-approved standard reflects the consensus of a number of experts whose collective interests provide, to the greatest practicable extent, a balance of representation of affected stakeholders. National Standards of Canada are intended to make a significant and timely contribution to the Canadian interest.

Any forest company or individual with management responsibility for public or private forest land may seek certification to the Canadian Forest Management standard regardless of the size of the forest area - from a few hectares to several million hectares.

Certification to the Canadian Forest Management standard requires an independent third party audit conducted by a certification body accredited by a member of the International Accreditation Forum such as the Standards Council of Canada. The initial certification audit is followed up by an annual surveillance audit, with recertification audits occurring every three years.

Sustainable Forest Management Technical Committee

The PEFC Canada Technical Committee (the standardizing body) shall be responsible for developing, reviewing and revising the standard(s) and guidelines related to the Forest Management (FM) standard. The scope includes systems for all types of forest organizations in Canada in both the public and private sectors. Standards will be consistent with the relevant PEFC benchmark standards and guides in their current versions.

The Technical Committee is a broad-based and includes groups with multiple perspectives and interests, for example representatives from forestry academia and research, forest companies, non-government organizations, consumer groups, workers and trade unions, Indigenous communities, scientific and technological community, public advisory group members and government.

Development and maintenance of the PEFC Canada Forest Management standard and related documents is the work of the Technical Committee. The standard-setting and revision process is governed by the key principles of:

• Engagement – an opportunity for meaningful participation in the process that is open to all interested and effected groups, stakeholders and the public through participation in working groups, outreach and public consultations.
• Balanced representation – no single group should dominate or be dominated in the process. While each party is free to decide on its participation, the standardizing body makes an effort to ensure that all relevant groups are represented and considers an appropriate gender balance.
• Consensus – standards are approved by consensus. Any sustained opposition to specific issues is resolved by means of dialogue whenever possible.
• Improvement – periodic review of a standard seeks continual improvement and to ensure the standard continues to meet expectations of stakeholders.
• Transparency – relevant documents are publicly available so interested parties can follow developments during and after the process.

PEFC Adapting Global to Local

PEFC international sustainable forest management benchmark standards set out the criteria and indicators that are determined to be vital for the sustainable management of any forest globally. However, the benchmarks cannot address all the different forest types and situations found at a country or local level.

Forests (and countries) are highly diverse. As is their management, legislation and law enforcement, local traditions, cultural and spiritual expectations, average property sizes and support structures. This diversity means there is more than one way to manage a forest sustainably. That is why PEFC works through national forest management standards. This enables countries to tailor their sustainable forest management requirements to their specific forest ecosystems, legal and administrative framework, socio-cultural context and other relevant factors.

Then, thanks to the PEFC endorsement process, PEFC can ensure, through independent assessment process, we ensure that all standards meet the benchmarks; every system is different, but all must meet (and often exceed) global requirements. For PEFC, how the national forest management standards are developed is as important as their final content. We therefore set out requirements for the national standard setting process, as well as performance and management requirements that national forest management standards must address.

For more information on PEFC benchmark standards and the endorsement process, visit www.pefc.org.