Actions related to objective 4f.1

Full text of the objective 4f.1 "Promote the conservation of forest biodiversity through independent credible forest certification systems that provide a guarantee for sustainable forest management" from the National Strategy

Flanders:

• Promotion and granting of FSC-label to forest;
• Publication of criteria for sustainabel forest management and technical/financial support for the implementation these criteria by private forest owners;

• MR435: duurzaam bosbeheer: Het ontwerp uitvoeringsbesluit tot vaststelling van de Criteria Duurzaam Bosbeheer reikt het wettelijk kader aan voor het beheer van alle openbare bossen en voor bossen gelegen in het Vlaams Ecologisch Netwerk. Doordat de criteria voor duurzaam bosbeheer dicht bij de Belgische FSC-norm voor ecocertificering liggen, ontstaat een toegevoegde waarde
• project 21 bosbeleid: criteria vastleggen voor duurzaam bosbeheer en koppeling van certificering en vrijstelling van successierechten. Een certificeringsysteem instellen voor duurzaam beheerde bossen, voorbereiding Groepscertificeringssysteem voor domeinbossen
• MR269 Certificering van herkomst van bosplantsoen uitbreiden .

Brussels:

• Promotion and granting of FSC-label to forest . The Sonian Forest, Brussels only forest with economical/commercial value, is granted with the FSC-label.
• The other forests are too small; they are ecologically managed (Nature 2000 sites).

Walloon Region:

About 47% of the forest area in Wallonia is ecocertified under the PEFC scheme (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). This process includes an updated regional plan to improve the forest management and practices, and commitments for the owners and managers participating to the process. (available on www.pefc.be) ; internal and external audit are scheduled every year.

Federal:

• Development of a federal public procurement policy to promote SFM (circular letter in 2005) . A methodological guide supports federal purchasing authorities
• An information campaign was set up to inform the public on SFM and related certification (2006 and 2007)

Future actions:

• Support the use of sustainable (certified) timber products and the promotion of credible certification systems, for example, by actions in several fields such as public procurements policy or public and forest owner's awareness activities.