VicForests announced its successful nine-month Responsible Wood Standard audit. The audit was conducted across the business and recommended VicForests maintain its certification, highlighting VicForests’ revised adaptive management framework, which focuses on a higher tree retention within coupes. The new harvesting system emphasises the protection of high conservation values to support local biodiversity.
The Responsible Wood standard is endorsed by the international Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
VicForests Chief Executive Monique Dawson said: “We have been certified since 2007 and have continued to excel in harvesting and regeneration practices over that period. There were no areas of audit non-conformance, which was pleasing. We believe that VicForests’ management systems and harvesting measures are extremely advanced, and leading edge nationally.”
Under Responsible Wood, VicForests’ operations are assessed against nine criteria, including its management systems, biodiversity, stakeholder engagement, forest productive capacity and ecosystem health, soil and water resources, cultural values, social and economic benefits and contribution to carbon cycles.
VicForests is a Victorian State-owned business responsible for the sustainable harvest, regrowing and commercial sale of timber from Victoria's public forests on behalf of the Victorian Government, Australia.
