Why should you get certified?
Certification works to ensure that management practices are consistently applied across the forest landscape assuring everyone, from woodlot owners to community members to wood product consumers that the forest and all its values have been considered and are being responsibly managed. Forest certification strives to create a balance of environmental, social, and economic values is challenging.
What are the advantages to Forest Certification
- Assurance of a forest well-managed for all values
- Credibility and accountability for forest management practices
- Access to unique markets and potential for increased revenues from the sale of certified wood products
What is the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) and how is it related to the Eastern Ontario Model Forest?
FSC is an international, non-profit organization that supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. FSC certification is a forest certification and labeling system for paper and wood products that come from responsibly managed forests, and verified recycled sources. Under FSC certification:
- Certification is a voluntary and market-based mechanism for ensuring that our forests are healthy;
- Independent third-party auditors conduct all FSC certification audits;
- Fibre from certified forests is tracked all the way to the consumer through the chain of custody certification program;
- Forests are certified against a set of strict environmental and social standards;
The EOMF manages a FSC certificate (RA-FM/COC 000-232) on behalf of private woodlot owners in eastern Ontario and has developed a process for private woodlots to become certified.The EOMF Forest Certification Program provides an opportunity for private woodlot owners to become certified to the internationally recognized standards for forest management developed by the FSC under a group certification. The EOMF has become a leader in small scale forest certification in Canada and is willing to transfer its model to others. The EOMF Forest Certification Program allows for numerous landowners to share the benefits and costs of FSC certification by certifying their lands, under one certificate.
How do I get certified?
Simple, Click this link for simple instruction to get the process started!