OTTAWA/CNW/ – The Canadian forest products industry now has 43 per cent of the world’s independently certified forests or more than 160 million hectares, which is four times more than any other country.
Certified forests means that companies follow progressive social and environmental forest management practices as assessed by an independent third body. This includes prompt regeneration of the forest land, sustainable harvest levels, protection of biodiversity and wildlife habitat and aboriginal engagement.
“The environmental credentials of the Canadian forest industry are truly world-leading when it comes to certification,” says David Lindsay, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). “The international marketplace can truly feel confident that Canadian forest products come from responsibly managed forests.”
Having certified forests is a requirement of memberships in FPAC. Canadian companies can certify to one of three standards: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
A 2014 Leger survey of international customers also found that Canada’s forest products industry had the best environmental reputation in the world.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $58-billion-a-year forest products industry represents two per cent of Canada’s GDP and is one of Canada’s largest employers operating in hundreds of communities and providing 230,000 direct jobs across the country.
For more information: www.certificationcanada.org/
