At the regular meeting of the Working Group (WG) on the development and implementation of national forest certification standards for Ukraine, a number of issues were considered, including the results of a survey on the 5-year experience of applying the FSC standard for Ukraine and a draft procedure for fulfilling its requirements in terms of areas contaminated by explosive objects (CEO areas).
Oksana Pavlishchuk, FSC Ukraine consultant, presented the results of a survey on the experience of practical implementation of the FSC Forest Stewardship Sstandard for Ukraine and its impact on the level of forest management in the country. The survey participants - FSC certificate holders, representatives of NGOs, scientific institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders - answered questions important for the working group to decide on the urgency of revising the FSC Standard for Ukraine.
The survey, which lasted almost a month, contained 17 questions, the answers to which showed the positive impact of the standard on improving forest management in the country, clarity and unambiguity in understanding the indicators of the standard, and promotion of risk-based and adaptive approaches in decision-making. The majority of respondents emphasized the positive impact of the FSC national forest stewardship standard in terms of preserving environmental values and avoiding negative impacts of economic activities.
Most respondents expressed the opinion that there is no urgent need to revise the standard. The survey has shown that the practical application of the FSC Forest Stewardship Standard for Ukraine contributes to sustainable forest management and increases the competitiveness of certificate holders. However, there is a need to further adapt the standard to modern challenges, which requires strengthening of dialogue and cooperation between all stakeholders.
Also at the meeting, the updated composition of the working group was announced. The competition for representatives of responsible organisations to fill the vacant position in the social section of the WG was extended until 15 April. These steps are important to ensure the efficiency and transparency of the certification process and contribute to the sustainable development of the forestry sector in Ukraine.
The draft procedure presented by the SFE “Forests of Ukraine” as an element of documentary support for the implementation of the FSC standard for Ukraine requirements allows to identify, allocate and update the boundaries of the CEO areas. This is a significant step in the implementation of the requirements of Annex J of the FSC standard for Ukraine, which makes it possible to excise such areas from the scope of certification. The WG members and experts highly appreciated the presented document and provided valuable comments and suggestions that will allow for more effective implementation of FSC certification requirements.
«We have made significant progress in the implementation of the FSC standard for Ukraine. On the one hand, this is more than 5 years of experience in its implementation and positive impact on forests and forestry, as reflected in the stakeholder survey, on the other hand, the need for further steps to implement its new capabilities due to the requirements to excise the CEO areas from the scope of certification. In this context, the WG's activities remain relevant» - said Pavlo Kravets, FSC Ukraine National Representative.