site.btaBulgarian Society for Protection of Birds Begins Global Information Campaign on Forests

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) begins its annual information campaign, which traditionally takes place at the end of September, said the Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds (BSPB). This year's campaign will take place between September 21 and 27.

One of the main goals of the campaign is to inform consumers about the possibility to consciously contribute to the protection of forests through their everyday small choices when shopping, said the BSPB. Many labels and products on the Bulgarian market carry the FSC mark which certifies responsible management. Unfortunately relatively few consumers in Bulgaria know what is behind this symbol. 

In Bulgaria, a significant part of the forests are already certified under the FSC system. More than 400 Bulgarian companies for processing and trading forest products have also voluntarily chosen to be certified under this system.

FSC unites both businesses and many organizations from the environmental and social sectors, both globally and in the country. In Bulgaria, the non-governmental organizations and companies that support the principles and criteria of FSC officially united in the  Sustainable Forests Association in 2024. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds is among the founders of the Association.

The Sustainable Forests Association was officially established in 2024, but work on forest certification to FSC standards dates back much earlier. For 10 years now, there has been a working group of experts in Bulgaria working to adapt the FSC standards to local conditions. 

In September, Bulgaria achieved the first approved updated FSC standard in the world. This means that the voluntarily certified farms in Bulgaria meet the principles and criteria by and most current requirements of the general FSC international standard for forest management.