The Forest Stewardship Council® Australia and New Zealand (FSC ANZ) is now inviting stakeholders to participate in the first public consultation period for the revision of Australia’s FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS). Running from July 1 to August 31, 2025, the public will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the new standard, ensuring that the FSS promotes best practices in responsible forest management and remains fit for purpose.
According to James Felton-Taylor, who was last week appointed FSC ANZ’s chair after replacing the long-serving Jon Dee, the standard is the keystone of everything that FSC does in Australia: “We are grateful for the incredible work the SDG (the Standard Development Group) has put into developing this first draft. We encourage everyone with a passion for responsible forestry to take part in the public consultation.”
- Click here to access the revised FSS and to participate in the consultation.
“The revision process is a powerful example of FSC’s ability to bring together environmental, social and economic interests to shape the future of responsible forest management,” said Melanie Robertson, FSC ANZ’s CEO. “SDG members have brought extensive technical expertise and operational knowledge from across Australia’s regions and stakeholder groups to the revision work, working constructively to ensure the new and revised requirements are focused, streamlined, and clear in intent.”
The purpose of the SDG, according to Stefan Jensen, FSC ANZ’s Senior Policy Manager and SDG Facilitator, is to deliver a Standard that is best-in-class, auditable and practical to implement. “To achieve this objective, we need clear, actionable input from an informed and diverse set of stakeholders,” he said. To support stakeholder understanding and engagement, FSC ANZ will host two webinars presenting an overview of the revision process and the main proposed changes to the Standard:
- July 29, 6:00 – 7:30 PM AEST – click here to register
- August 1, 10:00 – 11:30 AM AEST – click here to register
What’s New in the Draft Revised Standard?
This afternoon, Wood Central spoke to FSC ANZ, who highlighted some of the most significant proposed changes, including: Stricter controls on the use of highly hazardous pesticides, Stronger safeguards for workers’ rights, and the introduction of the Indigenous Cultural Landscapes concept. Feedback from the consultation will be compiled by FSC ANZ and submitted to the SDG to inform the development of the second draft, scheduled for consultation in 2026. From there, a public consultation report and the SDGs’ formal responses to the feedback received will be shared in the second round of consultation.
Please note: If you have any questions, please contact Stefan Jensen, Senior Policy Manager at FSC ANZ and SDG facilitator: [email protected]. For more information about the revision process, click here. Take part in the consultation by clicking here.
