Bamboo Certification and Challenge for Industry

Lu WenmingProfessor and Director

Division of International CooperationChinese Academy of Forestry

April 10,2015

1. Forest Certification Brief

2. Bamboo Forest Certification

3. Challenge for Industry

Contents

1. Forest Certification Brief

Role of forest certificationRole of forest certification

As a market based instrument to promote sustainable forest management, forest certification is becoming more and more popular and effective in the world and also in China

Two roles:– Promote SFM– Ensure market access, especially international

market

Forest certification schemesForest certification schemes

There are two levels of forest certification schemes International schemes: PEFC and FSC

– PEFC: Largest in certified area– FSC: Earliest in establishment

National schemes:– Over 40, US and Indonesia have 2 national schem

es each– US (SFI and ATFS), Indonesia (LEI and IFCC), Can

ada (CSA), Malaysia (MTCC), Australia (ASF), Chile (Certfor)

– China (CFCC)

Global forest certification developmentGlobal forest certification development

PEFC, as of December 2014– Certified area: 263 million ha (largest)– Forest owners: > 750,000– COC: 15,804 certificates (China: 210)

FSC, as of February 27, 2015– Certified area: 186.413 million– COC: 28,822 certificates (China: 4,333)– FM/COC: 1,303 certificates

Forest certification in ChinaForest certification in China

3 forest certification schemes co-exist in China

– China Forest Certification Scheme (CFCS) managed by China Forest Certification Council (CFCC), which is the national scheme in China

– PEFC Scheme

– FSC Scheme As CFCC was endorsed by PEFC on February 5, 2014

– Currently, in a transition of PEFC and CFCC

3 forest certification schemes in China

China Forest Certification Council (CFCC)China Forest Certification Council (CFCC)

2. Bamboo Forest Certification

Bamboo forest certification As a type of forest, bamboo forest can also be certifie

d for:– Timber– Food (bamboo shoots)

Bamboo forest management certification for timber– Similar to forest management certification

For sustainable management– Many schemes (international and national) just use

forest management certification standard to audit it– Only two countries have special bamboo forest ma

nagement certification standards China and Ecuador (Guadua bamboo)

Bamboo forest management certification

Different from forest management certification– No requirement on annual allowance cut (AAC)– Very short term management plan– More intensive management– Less heavy machinery– Not so strict requirements on biodiversity, due to

a kind of plantation specially monoculture– More strict requirements on chemical use,

especially for bamboo for food

Bamboo forest management certification

PEFC just endorses national schemes, does not directly certify forest in China

FSC certified 100 forest management units in China– Including 17 forest management units of bamboo

forest management certification Using FSC international generic principles and

criteria All for timber, and further chain of custody for

bamboo products for export, such as bamboo flooring, bamboo furniture (such as garden furniture)

Bamboo certification standard in China

Bamboo forest management certification standard– Developed by the Chinese Academy of Forestry– I am the team leader– Effective from December 1, 2014

Bamboo forest management certification audit directive– For the convenience of certification body

Later on, operational guidelines for bamboo forest management certification will be developed and promulgated

Bamboo forest management certification

standard

Bamboo forest management certification

audit directive

Bamboo certification for food

Only China has an indirect certification

standard which can apply to bamboo for food

Forest certification in China – Non-wood forest

products management

– Plants: including bamboo shoots

– Animals

NWFP certification

standard

NWFP certification

audit directive

3. Challenges for Industry

Challenges for industryChallenges for industry

More and better opportunities than challenges

– Both for bamboo forest managers

– And for bamboo processing industries

– As well as bamboo products export traders

Brief analysis is both for bamboo forest managers

and for bamboo processing industries

Challenges for bamboo managersChallenges for bamboo managers Challenges for bamboo forest managers: As mostly small and

household operation– Higher standard management system, such as bamboo

forest management plan– Higher requirements for management practices,

environmental, social and economic– Higher costs, both direct for auditing and indirect for

improvement– Stronger coordination for association, due to group

certification But benefits:

– Increased economic income– Better marketing– Better social responsibility– Better environmental conservation

Challenges for bamboo manufacturesChallenges for bamboo manufactures

Challenges for bamboo processing industries: As mostly small and medium enterprises (SME)– Higher standard management system– Not very easy access to certified bamboo raw

materials– Not stable order for export– Higher costs, but not significant

But benefits:– Increased economic income– Better international market access– Better image for social responsibility and

environmental conservation

Certification of bamboo for foodCertification of bamboo for food Challenges for bamboo certification for food

– Not strong domestic market demand– Export is mainly for Japan, where environmental awareness

is still weak– As certification is just for management sustainability, not

for food security (although a little) Consumers care for more security than sustainability So, market demand needs to be cultivated

Benefits (foreseeing as no one certified right now):– Much higher price premium (as other NWFP do)– Relatively higher food security– Better market access– Better social responsibility and environmental conservation

Thank You