site.btaBulgaria's Responsible Forest Management Standard Approved, Will Take Effect August 16

Bulgaria's Responsible Forest Management Standard Approved, Will Take Effect August 16

Sofia, May 22 (BTA) - The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards and policies unit has announced the approval of a national standard for responsible forest management, developed for Bulgaria, which will take effect in the territory of the country on August 16, 2017, WWF Bulgaria said in a press release.

This ranks Bulgaria among the first countries in Europe (together with France and Portugal) which have successfully finalized the drafting of national forest certification standards meeting the latest FSC requirements, the organization explained.

WWF Bulgaria initiated the elaboration of the FSC national standard for Bulgaria in August 2014. Following the FSC procedure, a WWF-coordinated national working group was formed, involving representatives of various ministries, institutions and organizations. The working group produced the text of the document between August 2014 and October 2016.

As required by the FSC, the national standard will take effect three months after its official publication on the international organization's website, i.e. on August 16, 2017. This means that as from that date all forest areas applying to be certified will be assessed by certifying firms according to the requirements of the national standard. To keep their certificate, all forestry farms that have been previously certified must be audited for compliance with the new requirements of the national standard within one year after its entry into effect, i.e. by August 16, 2018 at the latest.

FSC certification has been applied in Bulgaria since 2005, and WWF has been actively facilitating this process, because this is one of the most effective tools for good forest management at the global level. FSC certification takes into account the interests of nature as well as the interests of business, local communities and forest workers.