Transcript HERE - SA Forestry Online

FSC National Standards
Transfer Process
The South African approach in summary
January, 2016
SA Approach: Procedure for developing indicators:
• For each Principle, define meaning and intent of each of the criteria (between 4 and
10 criteria per principle).
• Interpret criterion for SA conditions and translate it into language that we are
familiar with in South Africa.
• Conduct risk assessment where relevant. Decide what are the most important
elements of each principle and its criteria in the SA context and describe the risks
and opportunities for improvement. Analysis of drivers.
• Develop indicators that talk to the SA interpretation of the criterion.
• See if there is an IGI that is equivalent
• Write justification if IGI is not used or modified.
• Write guidance for application where necessary. Must clarify terms, put the issue in
perspective (get the emphasis right), define what constitutes compliance or
otherwise.
Risk based approach
• The basis of the standard is a risk assessment done through stakeholder
engagement.
• The risks of all plantation management activities on ecosystem processes,
HCV’s and stakeholders are analysed and expressed with a catalogue of
control measures as basis for indicators.
• This approach will allow the standard to reflect the national sustainable
plantation management priorities.
• Emphasising the indicators for risky operations will also automatically ensure
that small-scale and low impact management activities are correctly
evaluated.
• Specific indicators for small scale growers and the introduction of a landscape
approach for communal areas
Opportunities to improve the SA standard
• The FSC P&C are exhaustive, process orientated and can be interpreted to
include any contingency. SDG’s may include any indicators that can be
justified and have been accepted by stakeholders. It is up the standards
developers and stakeholders to decide on the priorities.
• A well designed standard will result in the important issues being
addressed in a constructive way.
• A well designed standard will help correct scale based biases to access of
certification.
Opportunities to improve the SA standard
• New approaches include the primacy of field or output based indicators.
Management, planning and policy issues only emphasised when field
compliance is found wanting.
• This will be a way to reward operations for good field performance and
reduce the risk of window dressing.
• Mechanisms to target high risk activities and high risk forestry estates
introduced, including algorithms for predicting high risk factors which get
applied to monitoring intensity. E.g. use of contractors, remoteness of
location, economic viability of unit.
Example issue
Spread of invasive plantation species from plantation estates
• Risk assessment identifies that invasive spread potentially impacts (amongst others):
• Biodiversity See indicator 10.3, 4.5, x.y,
• Water supply See Indicator 6.7.1. 10.3, 4.5
• Water quality See indicator 6.7.2. 4.5.2
10.3 The Organization* shall* only use alien species* when knowledge and/or experience have shown that
any invasive impacts can be controlled and effective mitigation measures are in place. (C6.9 and C10.8 P&C
V4)
• 10.3.1 Alien species* are used only when direct experience and / or the results of scientific research
demonstrate that invasive impacts can be controlled.
• 10.3.2 Alien species* are used only when effective mitigation measures are in place to control their spread
outside the area in which they are established
• 10.3.3 The spread of invasive species* introduced by The Organization* is controlled.
• 10.3.4 Management activities are implemented, in cooperation with separate regulatory bodies where
these exist, with an aim to control the invasive impacts of alien species* that were not introduced by The
Organization*.