National Risk Assessment for FSC Controlled Wood of the Komi Republic Approved
On July 20, 2015 the Department of Policy and Standards of the International FSC Center approved the national risk assessment for FSC controlled wood of the Komi Republic.
As reported in the press release of the Russian National FSC Office, “the National Risk Assessment (NRA) prepared for the entire territory of the Russian Federation in 2013, continues to have effect. However, it has been additionally amended for the Komi Republic. The amendments have been included in Addendum 8 “Additional risk assessment requirements for the Forest Stewardship Council controlled wood of the Komi Republic” and shall be subject to compulsory implementation since July 20, 2015.”
It is to be recalled that the development of the Komi Regional risk assessment for FSC controlled wood was completed in January of this year. It had been done by a specially formed Working Group in the framework of the joint project of the Silver Taiga Foundation and the Russian National FSC Office. Based on the national risk assessment and considering the specifics of the Komi Republic, the group had developed the regional document, which will allow the certified companies to effectively assess the risks when purchasing wood from uncertified suppliers.
This is important for the forest industry of Komi, because the certified enterprises working on the territory of the republic are buying part of wood from uncertified suppliers, and this wood should be monitored to exclude illegal one, or the one harvested in violation of the traditional and civil rights of the local population, or cut in the high conservation value forests. The Working group, including representatives of different stakeholders – forest business, non-governmental organizations, and local population, has addressed in detail all the indicators and identified the degree of risk (low or undetermined). The evaluation has been conducted at the level of forestry units of the Komi Republic. The Technical Committee of the National FSC Working Group considered the final document, taking into account the comments and proposals, and provided it for accreditation to the FSC International.
The Silver Taiga Foundation thanks the Working Group members for their contribution to the development of the document.
The national risk assessment with the regulatory addendum on the Komi Republic is available on the website of the Russian National FSC office and on the International FSC website.