German sawmillers have told members of the Hessen state parliament that a plan to introduce Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification would reduce the state harvest by 330,000m³.
The German Association of the Sawmilling and Timber Industry (BSHD) voiced its concerns in an open letter to parliament members.
BSHD also claimed that adding FSC certification to existing Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes certification would have a €15m negative impact on the state budget due to the requirement to set aside 5% of the state forest for conservation purposes.
The organisation said FSC certification would also mean more emphasis on hardwoods and species not in market demand, regardless of the fact that 90% of the timber economy was focused on softwoods. It also says FSC standards would mean leaving 10 trees per hectare unharvested.
BSHD said current forestry practices and certification are adequate.
The organisation’s vice-president Lars Schimdt recently voiced concern about stricter FSC certification in Germany compared to some other countries, saying it jeopardised of the raw material supply of the sawmilling sector.
