Lecture 14

Status of forest certification

Global status

At the global level, there are two competing certification schemes with different
operating modalities. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) provides all the
necessary elements of certification through centralized decision making on
standards and accreditation. The Program for the Endorsement of Forest
Certification (PEFC), on the other hand, operates as a system for mutual recognition
between national certification systems. Almost two-thirds of the world’s certified
forests carry a PEFC certificate, while the FSC’s share is 28 %; the remaining forests
are certified solely under national certification systems. Most of the certified forests in
the tropics are FSC-certified.

As of August 10, 2012, FSC has certified 164.4 million ha forest area and has
issued 24,057 CoC certificates and 1,144 FM/CoC certificates (Source: FSC web
site). As of July 2012, there are 31 national certification schemes recognized by the
PEFC, 240 million hectares of forest certified, 714,350 forest owners and 9,167 CoC
holders of PEFC (Source: PEFC web site).

Status of forest certification in India

A few forest certification projects have been undertaken in India including two FM
certificates issued in 2002 one each in UP and West Bengal for small private plantations
using FSC standards. The first certification issued in India was a FSC CoC certification
which was issued in January 2001 to a Toys manufacturer in Shaharnpur, UP for Babul
(Acacia nilotica) and Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) wood species. The second certification in
India was for both FM & CoC certification issued by FSC in 2002 on 432 acres for Kadam
(Ailanthus grandis) plantations in West Bengal. However, both these certificates were
discontinued within 1 year of issuances for unknown reasons. The third and fourth CoC
certifications were also issued in 2002 for Silver Beech (Nortofagus Menziesii) wood species
from France imported by hand tool manufacturers in Jalandhar, Punjab. The hand tools are
exported to the European countries. Both these certificates are continuing even today and
thus are the oldest CoC certifications in India. IIFM has done a pioneer work in undertaking
Forest Certification pilots for bamboo resource in northeast region in the country, that is,
Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland (Yadav et al. 2003). A group of farmers who
cultivate local bamboo species in Katlamara region of Tripura using traditional system of
sustainable practices was audited by one of the recognized certification body of FSC and the
certification almost reached the final stage in the year 2003; however, because of reasons
unknown to the authors, the certification could not lead to successful conclusion. This almost
a decade old initiative is being taken up again in 2012 by the farmers themselves with the
possible support of state agencies like Tripura Forest Development and Plantation
Corporation (TFDPC) Limited (Source: Personal communication by farmers and the MD
TFDPC Ltd).

However, currently there are only 4 FSC Forest Management Certificates issued in
India in the States of Karnataka, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with an area of
39,160.49 ha. There are a few more FM certification assessments underway in different
parts of the country (Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) using FSC standard. These
areas either include farm-forestry with corporate support or are community-initiated
plantations. Of late, there has been a sudden increase in chain-of-custody (CoC)
certifications in India, particularly since 2006. As a result by July 2012, there were 328 FSC
CoC certifications and eleven PEFC CoC certifications issued to divergent types of
businesses in India. Preliminary analysis of these CoC certifications issued for Indian
business organizations indicate that majority of the CoC certifications are owned by small
and medium forest-based enterprises. These enterprises represent the pulp and paper mills,
wood craft and hand tool enterprises, printers and publication houses, plywood, paper and
board industries, timber traders and exporters. However, none of these relate to NTFP
certification.

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate

Change (MoEFCC)

Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) was recognized as integral part of

sustainable development at UN Earth Summit at Rio (1992). Around 150 countries have
initiated Criteria & Indicators (C&I) approach for SFM as part of one or the other
internationally recognized nine processes.

The Dry Zone Asia Initiative evolved in 1999 with participation from nine Asian
countries viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand and was held at Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. As an
offshoot of this Initiative and to develop a national set of Criteria and Indicators for
Sustainable Forest Management in India, the Bhopal-India (BI) Process was started at IIFM
under aegis of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Thus, Bhopal-
India process has semblance with internationally recognized processes specifically the Dry
Zone Asia and International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) initiatives on SFM.

United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) in 2006 and later in the year 2017 at UNFF special
session arrived at six global forest goals which emphasized on increasing area and the
proportion of forest products derived from sustainably managed forests. The global goals are
1) Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management,
including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increase efforts to
prevent forest degradation and contribute to the global effort of addressing climate change;
2) Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by
improving the livelihoods of forest dependent people; 3) Increase significantly the area of
protected forests worldwide and other areas of sustainably managed forests, as well as the
proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests; 4) Mobilize significantly
increased, new and additional financial resources from all sources for the implementation of
sustainable forest management and strengthen scientific and technical cooperation and
partnerships; 5) Promote governance frameworks to implement sustainable forest
management, including through the UN Forest Instrument, and enhance the contribution of
forests to the 2030 Agenda; and 6) Enhance cooperation, coordination, coherence and
synergies on forest-related issues at all levels, including within the UN System and across
Collaborative Partnership on Forests member organizations, as well as across sectors and
relevant stakeholders.

The Government of India constituted a "Task Force" on SFM for developing

modalities to adapt this approach. The task force recognized 8 criteria and associated
indicators developed under Bhopal-India Process as the National set of C&I for SFM in
2000. These draft national set of criteria and indicators for SFM were later pilot tested in six
forest divisions in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand,
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The National Forestry Commission in 2006 recommended creating enabling

environment to facilitate periodic assessment, monitoring the changes and reporting on
national level criteria & indicators. The commission also emphasized on the need to develop
Minimum Acceptable Standards (MAS) for SFM. The Government of India established "SFM
Cell" in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The SFM
approach was recognized as a thrust area in the XI Five-Year Plan (2012-17).
 The 8 criteria and 37 indicators for SFM have been further refined and are included in
the New National Working Plan Code 2014 by the MoEFCC, Government of India for
sustainable management of forests and conservation of biodiversity in the country.

Also, the Government of India constituted a "Task Force on Initiating Forest Certification in
India" under the Chairmanship of the Director General of Forests & Special Secretary
MoEFCC, GoI in 2004. This task force constituted a National Forest Certification Committee
in Oct 2007 to suggest a framework for initiating Forest Certification in India. The task force
recommended establishment of an Indian Forest certification Council in line with other
countries like Malaysia, Brazil, Chile etc. The centre of SFM&FC at IIFM provided key inputs
for task force as well as the national committee.

In the backdrop of these developments at the national level and the growing awareness
about sustainable forest management & forest certification at global level and the increasing
demand for legally sourced & certified timber in developed markets, IIFM decided to set up
the Centre for Sustainable Forest Management & Forest Certification (SFM & FC) in
February 2006. The centre is mandated to generate pool of knowledge and understanding in
the field of Stainable Forest Management & Forest Certification help develop forestry sector
in the country.

Mission

The mission of the centre is to integrate, strengthen, and redirect the centre's forestry
research, education, and outreach to address the sustainability needs of the 21st century in
a globalized environment. The centre fosters leadership through innovative programs,
activities, and research to support sustainable forest management and forest certification.

Goals
The broad goals of the centre are

 Strengthen sustainable forest management

 Support forest certification
 Promote sustainable business; sustainable production and sustainable consumption

Objectives of the Centre

 To serve the sector by undertaking and coordinating academic activities pertaining to

forest products marketing, SFM, forest certification and related aspects.
 Publication and dissemination of technical documents.
 To provide inputs for policy making and work as 'Think-Tank' (knowledge base).
  To help develop a framework for a national forest certification scheme for the country
in consultation with various stakeholders and work towards its mutual recognition
from the international schemes.
 To act as resource center for the Government of India, Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change; state Forest Departments, Forest corporations /
Federations; Academic institutions, Non-Government sectors; and the Business
organizations for capacity building for SFM and forest certification.

Thematic areas of centre activities

The concept of sustainable forest management and forest certification are gaining
importance in forestry sector in the country. The forests are managed on the prescriptions of
the working plan formulated as per national working plan code (WPC) 2014 and duly
approved by the state and national competent authority. The WPC 2014 has incorporated all
8 criteria and 37 Indicators of Bhopal-India process and thus the country has mandated itself
to achieve its commitments under various international agreements including ITTO objective
2000 and UNFF Non-legally-binding goals as well as facilitation to the Industry sourcing raw
material from the forestry sector to meet international trade regulations.

Capacity Building

In order to appreciate the understanding and application of these new aspects in the Indian
forestry management scenario it is imperative to build capacity of different stakeholders.
Thus this activity has been identified as one of the thrust areas of the centre.

Research & documentation

Under the aegis of centre for SFM & FC, research will be conducted to provide policy inputs
to the Central & State Governments. India provides a unique opportunity and has substantial
area under the natural forest and plantation. The development of standards for forest
certification for various components of forest will be undertaken in consultation with various
stakeholders and work towards its mutual recognition from international schemes.

Extension

The center has identified dissemination of information on forest certification and tools and
techniques available for the sustainable forest management in field as well as the curricula in
graduation and post-graduation level courses where the forestry is being taught. The
publication of articles and technical documents on SFM and forest certification has been
undertaken as one of key activity to disseminate the knowledge generated through research.
Networking

The center at IIFM will provide four-pronged network between Central Government; State
Government; Research & Academic institutions; and International organizations. The centre
will be a pivot for sharing and dissemination of information of SFM and FC through a
worldwide network of researchers, academic and research institutes, policy makers,
community networks, non-government organizations for facilitating work for bringing
professionalism in forestry sector.