It is easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer complexity of FSC policy development lately. We thought that a reminder about one of the most important of these – the Controlled Wood program – would be helpful.
Here is a quick summary (with key links) of the ongoing revision of the Controlled Wood (CW) program. In its current form, it consists first of a revision to the current standard intended to address a motion to “strengthen” the current system passed at the last general assembly. Following the revision, they plan to develop a new strategy for Controlled Wood. The timetable for all of this is found here. Developing a strategy after revising the current standard is clearly a bit backward, but it may also be unavoidable. FSC CW is definitely broken, and a quick fix – even if temporary – may be better than waiting to achieve consensus on a perfect solution.
FSC policy development staff are sincerely interested in feedback from the user community. If you have not yet provided your own feedback, I suggest that you make time to do so today. Here is a link to a survey form on the subject. I completed it this morning. Like many online surveys requires a bit of patience, and includes a few questions that are – frankly – a bit stupid. But it includes some very good and important questions as well.