Green Link Forest Stewards Landowner Guidelines For FSC

Green. Link Forest Stewards Landowner Guidelines For FSC Group Membership

What is Green. Link? n n n Green. Link Forest Resources LLC was founded by Chester Kearse Jr. to serve as the group entity or group manager for the Green. Link Forest Stewards Group, a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified group. The Green. Link Forest Stewards group offers cost effective FSC certification and chain-of-custody for small and medium size landowners. Green. Link offers truly ‘independent’ FSC Group Certification because there is no direct affiliation whatsoever with any industry, conservation, or forestland management organization.

Who is the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)? n n n Established in 1993 in response to concerns about global deforestation especially tropical hardwoods. World Wildlife Fund (UK) unhappiness with the Earth Summit of 1992 in Rio. Disappointment with world wide governments to reach consensus led to an independent, non-governmental, not-forprofit type structure. Worldwide with a Democratic structured General Assembly. (Environmental, Social, Economic chambers, equal representation between Northern & Southern Hemispheres) FSC has few employees. It sets standards and authorizes certifiers. Landowners hires Certifiers or 3 rd Party Auditors. 361 million acres certified worldwide.

Why FSC Certification? n n n Our region’s paper mills need FSC certified fiber to maintain market share. FSC is unique from SFI. Brand identification forest commodity products. Green. Link’s certifying body is Smartwood (Rainforest Alliance) so FSC and RA trademarks are available. FSC is a worldwide recognized forest stewardship standard, particularly by conservation groups. Independent 3 rd party audits assure landowners that their property is well-managed, provides strong backup for land managers. Certification can be useful for conservation easements or entering new markets such as carbon credits.

The Power of Branding n n Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Rainforest Alliance ‘Smartwood Program’

October 10, 2011 Kimberly-Clark Becomes First U. S. Branded Consumer Tissue Maker to Adopt Forest Stewardship Council's Sustainable Fiber Sourcing Standards Kleenex and Scott Naturals Brand Consumer Products Carry FSC Label DALLAS, October 10, 2011 -Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) today announced it is the first U. S. tissue maker to offer branded consumer tissue products that meet the rigorous sustainable sourcing requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Kimberly-Clark's Kleenex brand facial tissue and Scott Naturals brand products sold in North America now include fiber sourced from suppliers who have been independently certified to follow the highest standards in forestry management while also protecting high conservation-value forests and habitat. Consumers can now identify FSCcertified Kleenex and Scott brand products by the FSC label on every package. "This action is a major milestone in K-C's sustainability journey and a significant step forward in the consumer adoption of FSC-certified fiber for bathroom tissue, facial tissue and paper towels, " said Suhas Apte, vice president - global sustainability. "K-C's commitment to FSC certification for its Kleenex and Scott Naturals brands will grow the demand for sustainably sourced fiber and will encourage more suppliers to practice responsible forest management. "

Why Group Certification? n n Because of the cost to hire third-party auditors, group membership is the only cost effective means for a small landowner to become certified The group manager and his personnel are available to offer advice and make recommendations to aid in compliance with FSC principles and criteria. Recordkeeping and auditing is managed at the group level saving landowners/managers time. Potential exists in marketing efforts as the ‘Green. Link Forest Stewards Group’ that is part of the ‘Smartwood’ program.

How does Green. Link Function? n n n Green. Link Forest Resources LLC is Group Manager and FSC Group Certificate holder. (SW-FM/COC 005677) Group manager acts only as the gatekeeper or liaison with the Certifying Body (Smartwood) and FSC. Landowner and/or resource professional are responsible for their own individual forestland management. Group manager informs, advises, and inspects to make sure standards are being met by landowners. Group manager maintains the group records, pays for audits and provides the chain-of-custody to the members of the Green. Link Forest Stewards Group.

What does membership cost? n n n One time initial enrollment, assessment and certification fee of $1. 00 per ‘forested’ acre. Annual management fee (currently $. 35/acre) that is fixed for a five-year period following enrollment. Example: 650 acre tract has a GIS map showing 600 acres of timberland 50 acres of fields, pond and cabin. Therefore 600 acres are FSC certified. Year 1 – 600 acres X $1. 35/acre = $810 Year 2 – 600 acres X $. 35/acre = $210 Year 3 – 600 acres X $. 35/acre = $210 Year 4 – 600 acres X $. 35/acre = $210 Year 5 – 600 acres X $. 35/acre = $210 Total Cost over first 5 years =$1, 650/5 yrs/600 ac. Average Annual Cost =$. 55/acre/year

What Benefits does a Landowner Receive? n n Inexpensive FSC Chain-of-Custody certification; may or may not command a premium in the marketplace. Detailed record keeping archive by Green. Link. Harvest monitoring and management activity reports required yearly. Third-party review by Green. Link personnel and independent FSC auditors; continuous improvement and peer reviewed back-up for land managers that is strictly confidential. Access to a region specific forest management reference document that smaller landowners can refer to for detailed information regarding topics such as growth & yield, integrated pest management, silvicultural procedures, BMP’s, soil type determination, as examples.

How is FSC different from Tree Farm or SFI Certification? n n Because FSC was developed with the third-world tropical forests in mind, it places more emphasis on the social aspects of forest management. Ie. outside stakeholders, benefits to the community, labor. Monitoring is a major component of the FSC system. Proof of sustainability, ie. allowable cut determination and implementation is very important. Plantation forestry is ‘tricky’ with FSC, covertype conversion not allowed in most cases.

FSC has 10 Principles of Forest Stewardship versus Tree Farm’s 8 Standards of Sustainability n 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. FSC Compliance with Laws, FSC Tenure & Use Rights Indigenous People’s Rights Community Relations, Workers Rights Benefits from the Forest Environmental Impact Management Plan Monitoring & Assessment Maintenance of HCVF Plantations Tree farm n 1. Commitment to Sustainable Forestry 2. Compliance with Laws 3. Reforestation & Afforestation 4. Air, Water, and Soil Protection 5. Fish, Wildlife and Biodiversity 6. Protection of Biological Biodiversity 7. Protection of Special Sites 8. Forest Aesthetics

How are the FSC Principles analyzed for compliance? 1. 2. 3. Each Principle has numerous criteria that are used to judge whether a Principle is being met. For each criterion, then there are indicators or specific variables that tell whether a criterion is met in a regional context and that also specifically states desired management outcomes. Finally a verifier is an example of a way in which a forest management condition can be assessed to determine whether an indicator has been met.

Example of a Principle being met. n n Principle #5 – Benefits from the Forest (Forest Management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forests multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental & social benefits. ) Focus is on making efficient use of harvested resources and maintaining the capacity of the forest to provide long-term economic, social and environmental benefits. Criterion 5. 6 – The rate of harvest of forest products shall not exceed levels which can be permanently sustained. Indicator 5. 6 a – Sustained Yield harvest level documented in management plan. Verifier – Mgmt plan, is info correct? Indicator 5. 6 b – Average annual harvest levels, over 10 year rolling periods, do not exceed calculated sustained yield. Verifier – Audit of yearly activity reports to calculate harvest levels.

What Landowners Does Green. Link Serve? n n n Green. Link is approved to operate in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Green. Link is divided into 2 subsets for auditing and management purposes. 1) Small Family Forests <1000 ha (2470 acres) and 2) Large Landowner subset, 2470 acres up to 20, 000 acres. Only ‘forested’ acres are certified on a property and each legal entity is considered a unique forest. All forms of private ownership are eligible. The forest must be a ‘working’ forest. Green. Link reserves the exclusive right to determine membership.

What Does the Group Manager Do? n n n n Organizes and maintains the Group to FSC standards Develops and maintains the procedures for Group operation. Maintains the records of the group and specifically archives the monitoring reports of individual members. Assists and trains landowners and their forestry professionals with compliance issues. Arranges and pays for third-party audits, group certification. Assists in broad marketing efforts for the group. Monitors individual group member’s compliance.

What are the Landowner Responsibilities? n n n Manage his/her property to FSC standards. Contact the Group Manager for clarification if uncertainties arise about the appropriateness of a forest management practice. Make their property and forest management records (non-proprietary information only) available to Green. Link and/or third-party auditor(s). Sign required membership participation documents. Remit membership fees in a timely manner. Assess and formally report management activities on at least a yearly basis.

What If You Are Interested? 1. 2. 3. 4. Understanding this presentation is Step #1, ask questions !!!! Show you can meet the pre-enrollment criteria including a management plan that meets FSC requirements. Review the Green. Link Handbook; understand ask more questions about how the group operates. Finally, there is an on-the-ground inspection of the property by the Green. Link Group Manager to assess eligibility before sign-up.

Things you must know…. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. FSC Principles Audit Process Management Plan requirements Monitoring requirements Chain-of-Custody requirements Leaving the Group Corrective Action Request Process (CAR) Suspension or Expulsion Complaints Process

FSC Principles 1. Compliance with Laws and FSC Principles Forest Management shall respect all applicable laws of the country (USA) in which they occur and international treaties to which the country (USA) is a signatory, and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria. ’

2. 3. 4. Tenure and Use Rights and Responsibilities ‘Long term tenure and use rights to the land forest resources shall be clearly defined, documented and legally established. ’ Indigenous People’s Rights ‘The legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples to own, use and manage their lands and resources shall be recognized and respected. ’ Community Relations and Worker’s Rights ‘Forest management operations shall maintain or enhance the long-term social and economic well being of forest workers and local communities. ’

5. 6. Benefits from the Forest ‘Forest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest’s multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits. ’ Environmental Impacts ‘Forest management shall conserve biological diversity and it’s associated values, water resources, soils, and unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes, and, by so doing, maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest. ’

7. 8. Management Plan ‘A management plan – appropriate to scale and intensity of operations – shall be written, implemented and kept up-to-date. The longterm objectives of management, and the means of achieving them, shall be clearly defined. ’ Monitoring and Assessment ‘Monitoring shall be conducted – appropriate to scale and intensity of management – to assess the conditions of forest, yields of forest products, chain-of-custody, management activities, and their social and environmental impacts. ’

9. 10. Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) ‘Management activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests. Decisions regarding HCVF’s shall always be considered in the context of a precautionary approach. ’ Plantations ‘In addition to compliance with the above principles, plantations should complement the management of, reduce pressures on and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests. ’

Audit Process n n n Auditing for compliance is the key aspect of any forest certification scheme. Forest Stewardship Council sets out Principles and Criteria while independent certifying bodies approved by FSC actually perform the auditing. Green. Link uses Smartwood. You must allow Green. Link and Smartwood access to your property for audit inspections. Properties selected for audit in the Green. Link Forest Stewards Group for a particular year are random and based on a statistical sampling model. Information collected during an audit is strictly confidential and auditors or Green. Link personnel have no legal rights or jurisdiction over a landowner whatsoever.

Management Plan Requirements (Appropriate to Scale) n n n n Management Objectives Description of forest resources; land use and ownership status, socio-economic conditions, profile of adjacent lands Detailed stand maps including protected sites. Calculation of growth, annual harvest rates, species selection Silvicultural systems and harvest method justification. Provisions for monitoring growth and activities. Environmental safeguards required, ex. BMP’s. Plans for identifying and protecting rare, threatened or endangered species. Also protection of cultural sites.

Monitoring Requirements Internal Group Monitoring vs. Property Level Reporting n Internal Group Monitoring is conducted by Green. Link personnel to verify compliance, educate and advise, so that potential problems are avoided during the formal audit process. Large Landowners are visited yearly while the smallest landowners will be visited at least once over a 3 year period. n Property level monitoring and reporting is done by Landowners or their Forestry Professionals. A yearly forest activities report is required and a harvest report/checklist must be filed with Green. Link after each individual harvest operation.

Chain - of - Custody n n n Chain-of-Custody (COC) refers to the process of tracking forest products from individual forests into the production process so that end-users can be assured the wood products they purchase are from sustainable, ‘certifed’ forests. You will be entitled to use the Green. Link Forest Stewards (COC) number. However, you must follow exactly the rules involving contracts and/or purchase orders as outlined in the Green. Link Member Handbook to assure the integrity of the process.

If You Wish to Leave the Group n n n You may choose to leave the Group at any time with no obligations whatsoever. However membership and management fees will not be refunded by Green. Link. If you choose to move to another FSC group then Green. Link will assist in file transfers. If you choose to leave, then a letter stating the reasons for withdrawal and the date of effective withdrawal is required

Corrective Action Request (CAR) n n n This is a formal process to address landowner deficiencies found by a Green. Link Internal Monitor or Certifying Body Auditor. Green. Link Manager follows 3 Steps: 1) Formally record the problem and communicate with the landowner or representative. 2) Follow-up with Landowner to see that he has studied the problem and has a plan for resolution. 3) Confirmation that the problem has been resolved. A CAR Form is issued to the Landowner so that all the details of the problems are outlined and the process followed correctly.

Suspension or Expulsion n Failure to correct a CAR, failure to pay fees, improper use of the chain-of-custody number are examples of issues that may warrant suspension or expulsion. Member will be notified by certified letter and 60 day suspension starts immediately. Manager has option to extend suspension longer than 60 days. Chain-of. Custody cannot be used while in suspension. If a member cannot rectify the problem then expulsion occurs.

Complaints n n If a Group Member has a complaint against the Group Manager then he/she can submit the complaint in writing and with a follow-up phone call. The Group Manager will respond within 30 days. If the Member is not satisfied with the response, then the Member and Manager will abide by the decision of the Complaint Resolution Committee, a committee made up of 3 retired forestry professionals not affiliated in any other way with Green. Link. The Complaint Resolution Committee will also be called upon for consultation should outside parties file a complaint against the entire Group

In Summary n n n If you are a good Land Steward, do not mind paperwork, and would like peer review of your forest management, then FSC certification may be something to consider. It seems to be the way the world is going and our paper companies need to source more and more FSC wood fiber in a region with little currently available. Green. Link Forest Stewards offers a cost effective and independent way to obtain FSC certification.