The new standard for responsible FSC forest management for Poland will take effect from October 1 this year, and the transition period will last until the end of September 2025. The document updates the rules for managing certified forests in Poland in order to best protect forests and their many functions, including social and climate ones. This is particularly important in the context of ongoing challenges related to climate change and biodiversity loss. The new document introduces requirements adapted to national conditions, including biodiversity conservation, protection of workers’ rights and conducting consultations with local communities.
Nearly one third of Poland’s land area is forested. In total, this is about 9.3 million hectares. The Forest Stewardship Council emphasizes that forests are home for over 80% of terrestrial plant and animal species and are the most biologically diverse terrestrial ecosystems on Earth. They mitigate and limit the effects of climate change by reducing temperature fluctuations and absorbing carbon dioxide, and also act as “green lungs”, filtering the air of pollutants. Forests also play a very important role in water retention and in stabilizing its levels, and additionally, they slow down its surface runoff.
In this context, the need for priority protection of forests and their management respecting the natural environment and local communities is becoming increasingly important. Forest management certification, which confirms the highest standards in this area, is conducted for this among other reasons.
“Forest management certification helps protect forests and the people associated with them. Thanks to voluntary certification and related audits, the forest manager gets confirmation from an independent third party that they are managing the forest with respect for nature, as well as workers’ rights and the rights of the local community. Certification also increases the transparency of forestry practices, as FSC audit reports are publicly available, and any interested person can participate in the audit as an observer. This gives consumers buying a certified product in the FSC system, the assurance that they are contributing to the protection of forests and the people associated with them,” says Michał Kotarski, the Market Development and Communication Manager at FSC, to the Newseria Biznes news agency.
FSC certification has been present in our country for over 25 years. Annual audits confirm that the forests from which timber originates are managed in accordance with the most current scientific knowledge and environmental requirements. This protects biodiversity and ecosystems, while providing a stable source of renewable raw material for the timber industry. In the era of ESG reporting and the growing ecological awareness of businesses, this is a very valuable tool that allows for sourcing of wood from legal, responsible sources, without harming the environment and local community.
The FSC standard currently in force in Poland from 2013 has been subject to revision since 2018. Field tests and numerous public consultations were carried out during this work. As a result of several years of work involving many entities, the FSC organization published a new version of the standard for Poland on July 2.
“The standard was developed with the involvement of numerous interested groups, including representatives of forest managers, the timber industry, non-governmental organizations, and forest worker associations. This makes it an effective tool for protecting forests while also allowing for the harvesting of renewable raw materials such as wood,” explains an FSC expert.
The new national FSC standard for responsible forest management specifies requirements for biodiversity conservation, identification, and protection of rare, endangered species. “The requirements for protective zones in the forest are maintained, including for rivers and wetlands. The standard retains requirements related to maintaining reference forests and so-called old-growth fragments”, lists Michał Kotarski. “The new standard also offers solutions beneficial to forest workers, requires them to be provided with a decent wage, and safe working conditions, and it extends the definition of a worker to include not only the forest manager’s own workers, but also subcontractors or seasonal workers.”
