Two major systems of environmental certification have emerged in Australia in recent years so that consumers can be confident that the timber products they purchase have been produced in an environmentally sustainable and responsible manner.

The Australian Forestry Standard

This standard has been developed in Australia under the auspices of the State and Commonwealth governments and is registered with Standards Australia. It is affiliated with the international PEFC certification system. It is the certification system which State Governments have chosen to apply to state owned native forests and plantations. The Australian Forestry Standard operates in conjunction with the international environmental management standard, ISO 14001. Western Australian state owned native forests and plantations are currently being certified under the Australian Forestry Standard. This process is expected to be completed during 2008.

The Forest Stewardship Council

This is a non-government international standard which is managed by a tripartite arrangement of industry, community and environmental groups. A specifically Australian standard is currently being developed to apply the international criteria of FSC to the local situation. Some major Western Australian private plantation growers are certified under the FSC scheme. FSC also produces Chain of Custody certificates for products manufactured from certified wood. The Forest Industries Federation of WA supports both certification schemes.

More information can be obtained from the websites of the two schemes.

Australian Forestry Standard www.forestrystandard.org.au