Posted on October, 29 2010

Features

Are You Ready for the New EU Regulation?

Legality is quickly becoming the new baseline for timber products in many of the world’s major markets. Following the example set by the US Lacey Act, the European Union (EU) has banned illegal timber from entering the EU market. While official enforcement does not start until 2012, the time to address implementation is now in order to secure the best market position. Read More…

Sharing the Risk and the Reward

Smallholders face a variety of challenges on the journey towards responsible forest management. From surmounting financial hurdles to possessing the scale necessary to access international markets, the obstacles for owners of small forest lands often makes certification a difficult and daunting task. But a group of 118 farmers in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province are showing that it is not impossible. Read More…

A Rich Heritage. An Even Brighter Future

With a culture that is rich in tradition and heritage, Panama’s Emberá-Wounaan are a beautiful and unique people. Dwelling among the Darien rainforest, Panama’s largest forest remnant, these communities have a history that is inextricably intertwined with the natural environment that surrounds them. However, the rights of these communities to the forests they inhabit were not always recognized. Read More…

News & Commentary

Harnessing Purchasing Power to Tackle Deforestation and Climate Change

Over the past quarter, the GFTN has witnessed substantive momentum in this direction, realizing benefits of our work to build capacity among these important stakeholders in responsible forestry. From the Embera-Wounaan in Panama’s Darien rainforest to farmers in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, responsible forestry is key in creating sustainable livelihoods. Read more...

 Fostering a Market for Legal and Responsible Timber

One reason that makes the GFTN unique is its ability to bring changes not only in the global forest market, but also at the local level­. Working with the Swiss public to raise awareness on FSC and petition their government for new legislation, GFTN has been instrumental in influencing consumer decisions and driving policy changes at the national level that favour responsibly traded forest products. Read More…

 Building Capacity Across Supply Chains in Southeast Asia

The 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act gives the US government the authority to fine, and even jail, individuals and companies who traffic in illegally harvested wood products into the US. This law, and the import declaration it requires for selected products, affects manufacturers and exporters who ship a variety of products made from wood to the US, including furniture, flooring or even picture frames. Read More…

 Publishers Turn Over a New Leaf

Over 7,000 publishers recently convened in Frankfurt for the 2010 Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest book and media fair. While business was booming at the Fair, another issue took center stage with several publishers, namely the sustainability of the global publishing industry. Read More…

A Turning Point for Responsible Forestry in Finland

The first week of October ushered in a major break-through for responsible forestry and the Finnish forestry sector. Following a lengthy road of extensive negotiations, stakeholders from the environmental, social and economic chambers collectively approved a Finnish FSC forest management standard, paving the way for the responsible management of Finland’s forests. Read More…

Avon Products, Inc. Joins GFTN-North America

Avon Products, a leading global beauty company and one of the world’s largest catalogue producers, has joined the GFTN in North America, formalizing a commitment to responsible forestry and trade. Specifically, Avon has committed to purchase 100% of its paper from independently certified or post-consumer, recycled-content sources by 2020, with a preference for FSC-certified paper. Read More…