June 30 2005
The principle concepts of Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council
It has been widely recognized that forest certification systems are an effective means in realizing “sustainable forest management (SFM).” Moreover, as forests sequestrate green house gas, it has become important that forests be properly evaluated and certified in this regard.
In response, Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council (SGEC) is established to be an appropriate certification scheme in the context of Japanese forestry. SGEC is to be popularized in order to promote SFM, encourage cyclical use of forest resources, raise forest management level, contribute to global warming prevention efforts, and support people’s life in both country and urban settings.
1. Standards of SGEC forest certification scheme
The main purpose of setting SGEC forest certification standards is to raise forest management level for healthy and sustainable forests.
These standards are to be developed based on currently practiced national forestry institutions including forestry planning laws and protected forest regulations.
Notably, forest practice planning will be utilized as an important basis of such standards. Also, in order to fulfill internationally accepted performance requirements, SGEC standards will introduce international devices such as Montreal Process’s standards and the Environmental Management Systems in a manner that will be suitable for the present state of Japanese forest management practices.
Among the standards, major emphasis will be placed on the maintenance of forest ecosystem (e.g. biodiversity) and the promotion of forests’ environmental functions (e.g. erosion control).
For the implementation, SGEC certification scheme will select proper certification units and monitoring method applicable to the actual state of Japanese forestry. It will encourage people to know wood products coming from certified forests so as to promote cyclical use of forest resources. By doing so, SGEC is expected to contribute to global warming prevention efforts as well as the well-being of local population in both country and urban areas.
It is, therefore, proposed that SGEC forest certification standards be created as follows:
Standard #1: Identification of Forests and their Management Policies
Forests under application should be identified in terms of their location, ownership and management structure, property arrangements, related regulations, area and volume of each forest types. Also, based on a management policy that is developed by the forest owner, a detailed plan for forest practices should be established.
Standard #2: Conservation of Biological Diversity
Conservation plans for biodiversity should be built multistoried frameworks from a landscape level to a typical ecosystem level. Other than valuable natural vegetation, threatened species defined under IUCN Red List Category should be protected.
Standard #3: Conservation and Maintenance of Soil and Water Resources
For erosion control and water conservation, careful attention should be paid when cutting and collecting trees and opening forest roads. Also, prevention efforts should be made against chemical contamination to a watershed system.
Standard #4: Maintenance of Productivity and Health of Forest Ecosystem
Logging Practices should be based on the idea of SFM, using non-/small scale-clear cut logging systems. Regeneration practices should be based on the principle of TEKICHI-TEKIBOKU or “putting the right tree in the right place” followed by proper silviculture and thinning practices. For forest fire, disease, and animal and insect damage, suitable prevention measures should be taken. Also, proper attention should be paid for chemistry substances (e.g. agricultural chemicals).
Standard #5: Legal and Institutional Framework for SFM
Not only related laws and regulations but also local customary rights should be respected. Management trustees and forestry workers should understand management policies. Every consideration in a worker’s life, health and safety should be made.
Standard #6: Maintenance and Promotion of Societal and Economic Benefits
In addition to various opportunities that are provided to encourage people to access forests, environmental education and safety measures should be offered for those who actually visit the forests. Forest management should pay proper attention to landscape and outdoor recreation. It should also protect culturally and historically valuable forests. In addition, certified forests should bring up the capacity of CO2 sequestration. Also, wood products from certified forests should be kept apart from others in order for consumers to buy and use certified products for multipurposes.
Standard #7: Monitoring and Disclosure of Information
For reviewing management plan, a periodical monitoring system, capturing dynamic state of forests, should be introduced. The outcome of monitoring should be disclosed in principle. Fields records including forest practice records and observational notes should be kept with best efforts. A cooperative framework with municipal governments and others, ensuring large-scale monitoring practices, should be established.
2. Organization and operation of SGEC
(1) The purpose of SGEC is to spread the idea of SFM throughout the Japanese society, promote effective use of wood products from SFM and construct a cyclical society so as to support people enjoying a pleasant lifestyle and to help maintain a natural environment.
(2) SGEC’s activities include:
a) Operation of SGEC certification system which contains labeling system identifying products from SGEC certified forests,
b) Accreditation of certification bodies and registration of the consultation bodies,
c) Corporation with overseas forest accreditation bodies, and
d) Investigation on and dissemination of SMF.
(3) SGEC establishes an executive board led by a chairman that has the power to make a decision on important operation matters. Under the executive board, a head office is set up and an audit committee is established to inspect certification bodies.
(4) To build consensus at large, SGEC establishes councilors committee that consists of intellectuals and academic experts. The committee deliberates basic matters on SGEC operation and supplies advice to the chairman.
(5) Procedure of SGEC forest certification system starts with an application to a certification body by an individual or by a consultation body which may deputize for an individual. According to the forest certification standards, the certification body assesses the forest management under application and makes a report to SGEC. Then, the report goes through the audit committee and, if applicable, SGEC issues a SGEC certificate to the applicant who now can claim himself as an owner/manager of the certified forests. After that, the audit committee investigates the certified forests once a year, confirming if the forests continued to be managed appropriately.
(6) SGEC labeling system follows the same procedure as the previous clause. That is, SGEC issues a certificate to an eligible applicant who may be called a certified entity. Upon the requests of the certified entities, SGEC distributes display tools such as labels and flags.
(7) A certification body should be independent of an applicant. It should conduct accurate examination for making fair and neutral decisions. Also, the certification body should operate independently from other forest certification schemes.
(8) A consultation body should be registered on condition of its ability to give advice to applicants in a precise, quick and efficient manner.
(9) SGEC invites two kinds of supporting members who make monetary contribution to SGEC.
(10) SGEC will actively participate in global activities concerning forest certification. With the necessity of SGEC’s international character to be obtained, relating with international community and appealing abroad, SGEC will consider a system for mutual recognition. Especially SGEC will promote to cooperate with Asian countries and regions which are economically and socially close, and have common ground in forests, forestry, natural and cultural conditions.
(11) Because “CHIIKI-ZAI” or “local wood products” should be respected, SGEC and CHIIKI-ZAI business will form a framework in which SGEC can play a vital role.
(12) SGEC will have a self-sustaining financial administration structure by popularizing itself in the Japanese society. In the meanwhile, however, SGEC will have financial support from supporting members.
3. SGEC separation and labeling system
(1) SGEC will promote both separation control and label control so that forest products from SGEC certified forests (hereinafter referred to as “certified wood products”) are properly supplied to consumers. Also, SGEC will establish a trustworthy and reliable certification system, serving the objectives of SGEC.
(2) Business entities which intend to deal with certified wood products open to public must have SGEC certifications. Their business categories widely cover such businesses as distribution, manufacturing, sales, construction and architectural design.
(3) A certified business entity should establish separation and label control system so that certified wood products can be identified at every stages of storage, manufacturing, and distribution. For the certification and annual inspection, a certification body should examine a business entity with special attention to its organization and operation system.
(4) At the stage of storage, manufacturing, and shipping, a certified business entity should separate certified wood products from non-certified products so as to avoid mixing. Also, the business entity should keep related documents properly.
(5) A certified business entity should demonstrate certified wood products by display tools such as sign boards, flags, protective sheets, labels, imprint and stamps with SGEC logo. Also they may sell the certified wood products with such display tools.
(6) In each region, SGEC makes an effort to organize a SGEC Local Promote Association (tentatively named) which consists of supportive people, groups and companies. The association will establish both a system for information disclosure on the distribution of certified wood products and a system for pre-ordering certified wood products.
(7) In order to popularize SGEC certification system through a participatory approach, SGEC will invite supportive members widely, exerting effort to organize a Sustainable Green Ecosystem Club (tentatively named) with their help.