Everyone involved in the FSC Controlled Wood program here in the United States has been eagerly and impatiently waiting for FSC-US staff to release their latest version of the Controlled Wood National Risk Assessment (NRA) for the USA. Tonight at 5:30pm ET it finally saw the light of day.
We promise detailed analysis, review, and commentary in the near future. But we did not want to wait before sharing it here. It is of first and immediate importance that this document be widely read and discussed. Please share it with your colleagues. Make sure FSC-US hears from everyone with an opinion or a perspective. This thing is important.
FSC-US have set up a Consultation Webpage where you can download all the necessary information. There is a lot! Here is a quick list of what you’ll find:
- The new National Risk Assessment – designated V 2-0, it replaces a misbegotten attempt from early 2015. The actual document is 241 pages long. Fortunately, most of the text will be of little interest or consequence to implementing companies. We will do our best to point out the important and consequential bits in later reviews.
- A Risk Region Matrix – a summary of where the “specified risk” (and extra work) is. At a glance: SE and West.
- A CW Overview – for folks who need it
- Specified Risk & Critical Biodiversity Maps – showing the specific areas where Cat. 3 and Cat. 4 mitigation will be required.
- Regional Meeting Overview – a brief concept paper outlining a collaborative, regional approach to mitigation that looks suspiciously like SFI.
- Step by Step guide for CH’s – an attempt to answer the inevitable question: “so what do I have to do?”
- Five Things to Know – some aspirational notes explaining concepts behind the program.
- A Comment Form – to tell FSC-US what we think
Looks like a lot, doesn’t it? That’s because it is a lot! It’s too soon to criticize, so we won’t. But it is clear that this new approach to Controlled Wood will not be simple. Nonetheless, we intend to give it a close look with an open mind. We hope you will too.
Expect to see much more detail in this space in the coming weeks.
