Forestry certification initiative launched
Stabroek News
March 2, 2003
The Guyana National Initiative on Forestry Certification (GNIFC) was officially launched on Thursday with its founding assembly at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, Kingston.
This assembly was a general meeting of individuals and organisations representing social, environmental and economic interests that are involved, directly or indirectly, in sustainable forest management or have an interest in a national forest certification.
Attending the forum were Iwokrama, the Guyana Forestry Commission, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) among other groups.
Commissioner of Forests James Singh told the gathering that his Commission would provide the necessary technical support for further development of the national standard.
National Co-ordinator of GNIFC, Sharon Ousman, said that stakeholder discussions on forest certification over the last two and a half years have resulted in the pursuit of a national certification endorsable by the Forest Steward-ship Council (FSC), which would auger well for Guyana's forest product exports. She told Stabroek News that consumers wanted to know that they were purchasing products coming out of responsible operations, environmentally and socially. Such products would receive a mark of accreditation upon attaining the required standard.
Two guarantees are provided under the FSC certification scheme. The first is that the forest management conforms to the FSC's principles and criteria for Forest Stewardship. This is referred to as 'forest certification' and involves an evaluation of the forest itself to ensure that forest management systems and policies are carried out. Annual monitoring visits are done to confirm the maintenance of standards throughout the period of certification.
The second guarantee relates to the origin of the products, referred to as the 'chain of custody certification.' This process follows the product from the felling of the tree, throughout the processing and manufacturing, and delivery to end user. A separate certificate is issued each time the product passes from one stage of 'custody' to the next.
Ousman stated that overseas accreditation agencies, approved by GNIFC, would be involved in monitoring and certification. The GNIFC is expected to function as a mechanism for bringing together skills, knowledge, experiences and resources from individual and institution to advance national certification, which is now in its second draft. The ultimate objective of the GNIFC is to facilitate the development and field-testing of the National Forest Certification Standard based on the principles and criteria of the FSC.
Finances had been sourced by the National Forest Certification Working Group for the establishment and functioning of the GNIFC from the WWF Guianas Forests and Enviromental Conservation Project (WWF Guianas).
