controlled wood risk assessment 2012

7/30/2019 Controlled Wood Risk Assessment 2012

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SGS QUALIFOR

(Associated Documents)

Doc. Number: AD 54-F-06

Doc. Version date: 17 April 2009

Page: 1 of 16

CONTROLLED WOOD RISK ASSESSMENT REPORT

INTRODUCTION

This document must be used with the RD 15-01 - Guideline - Approach and criteria for assessing riskwhen uncertified controlled wood is used in FSC certified products and FSC-ADV-40-016 V2 -Implementation of FSC Controlled Wood requirements in FSC STD-40-005 V2-1 and FSC-STD-20-011V1-1.

This template is a guideline to do the risk assessment and must not be seen to include all information.Any other sources of information may be added to ensure that all detail were analysed.

This assessment must be done on origin of uncertified wood that will be used in FSC products ascontrolled wood.

If it is determined that the material is classified as being from a source that is classified as unspecifiedrisk, the requirements of the RD16 - Guideline - Requirements for company verification program must befollowed. This will be audited annually.

Note: This document details all the elements that are required to do the risk assessment. However, thedocument is divided into a Restricted Information section and a Public Information section. Only theinformation recorded in the Public section will be available on the FSC website. The information in theRestricted section will be covered by the SGS rules of confidentiality and will not be disclosed.

The Risk Assessment requires a precautionary approach. Any area worldwide is therefore considered

unspecified risk until low risk can be determined in line with the risk assessment set out hereunder(refer Section 1.1 of FSC-STD-40-005)

The following is important:


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RESTRICTED INFORMATION

1. COMPANY DETAIL

Company name York Timbers (Pty) Ltd

Certificate number: SGS-COC-008395

Controlled wood Certificate number SGS-CW-008395

Country: South Africa

Company address Physical Address:

1 Milkwood streetSabie1260

Mpumalanga

South Africa

Contact detail: Contact person: D. Malloch-Brown

Telephone: 013 764 9237

Fax: 013 764 3555

e-mail Address [email protected]

Assessment done by: D. Malloch-Brown

Relation to the company: Resource Development Manager

Date: 19 November 2011

Signature
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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District: Mpumalanga

Company Name: De Witt Trust



Company Name: Erasmushoop



Company Name: Gradely Farms



Company Name: Steenkamp



Company Name: Tony Mason (Milikin)



Company Name: United Forest Products



Company Name: Zonstraal Boerdery




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3. LIST OF COUNTRIES AND DISTRICTS OF ORIGIN

List the countries and districts of origin of timber supplied within the companys FSC ControlledWood Program.

Product Species District Country

Pine logsPinus taeda Loblolly PinePinus elliottii Slash Pine

Pinus patula

Mpumalanga

Kwazulu Natal

South Africa

Eucalyptus logs Eucalyptus nitens

Eucalyptus grandis

Eucalyptus maccarthurii

Mpumalanga

Kwazulu Natal

South Africa

4. SUPPLY CHAIN

Manufacturers or traders that wish to control their timber sources within their own verificationprogram shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of their certification body that its supply chain is

identifiable and traceable down to the district (forest) level.

Company Process Input and origin Controlled system verified

AG Muller Timber grower. Sale ofround logs

Timber Grower in SouthAfrica Selling to York

Supply agreement with the timbergrower to supply timber directlyfrom the FMU to the York mill. Noother handling of the timber

Avalon Farm Timber grower. Sale of

round logs

Timber Grower in South

Africa Selling to York

Supply agreement with the timber

grower to supply timber directlyfrom the FMU to the York mill. Noother handling of the timber

Breytenbachskraal Timber grower. Sale ofd l

Timber Grower in SouthAf i S lli t Y k

Supply agreement with the timbert l ti b di tl


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Company Process Input and origin Controlled system verified

Gradely Farms Timber grower. Sale ofround logs



Steenkamp Timber grower. Sale ofround logs



Tony Mason (Millikin) Timber grower. Sale of

round logs

Timber Grower in South

Africa Selling to York

Supply agreement with the timber

grower to supply timber directlyfrom the FMU to the York mill. Noother handling of the timber

United Forest Products Timber grower. Sale ofround logs



Zonstraal Boerdery Timber grower. Sale ofround logs


Supply agreement with the timbergrower to supply timber directly

from the FMU to the York mill. Noother handling of the timber

The following harvestingcontractors are used (allin South Africa):

GDH harvesting

Mountain View

Dave Logging

Silver Cherry

Log-X

Bosbok Ontginning

Harvesting contractorsfelling and log making

Harvesting under contractonly

No movement of timber.Transporters are contracted tomove the timber from the FMU tothe York Mill.


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SGS Qualifor auditor: N. Knibbs

Comments: Approved

Date: 23/11/2011

Signature


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PUBLIC INFORMATION

A APPROVAL

Approving Certification Body: SGS South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Qualifor Programme

PO Box 82582SouthdaleSouth Africa2135

E-mail Address: [email protected]

Date of Risk Assessment 19 November 2011

Comments: Approved

Date Approved: 23 November 2011

B ORIGIN OF TIMBER


District Mpumalanga, Natal,

Risk Assessment Level

(indicate the risk for the differentlevels)

Country District FMU

Unspecified Risk Low Risk Low Risk

C. RESULT OF RISK ASSESSMENT

Type of source e.g. natural forestor plantations and generaldescription of the supplier

The timber suppliers all have commercial exotic plantation forestry,and are all licensed by the government (legal requirement).


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SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH FSC CONTROLLED WOOD CATEGORY

1. ILLEGALLY HARVESTED WOOD

1.1 The district of origin may be considered low risk in relation to illegal harvesting when all the following indicators related to forestgovernance are present:

NOTE: FSC-STD-40-005 V2-1 requires a precautionary approach by companies when assessing risk. This means that if there is lack ofinformation on corruption for the forestry sector, a country/district shall be defined as unspecified risk for the referenced indicator and therefore forthe whole Controlled Wood category

Requirements Examples of sources of information

Finding & Evidence

(FSC-ADV-40-016 v2 - Sources ofinformation used to assess theindicators must be listed)

Result

Unspecifiedrisk

Low

1.1.1 Evidence of enforcement oflogging related laws in thedistrict

FSC National Initiatives (contacts fromwww.fsc.org);

http://www.Transparency.org

The Royal Institute of International Affairs(www.illegal-logging.org);

Environmental Investigation Agency (www.eia-international.org);

Global Witness: (www.globalwitness.org);

Telapak (for Indonesia -www.telapak.org);

UK Governments Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID)

EU FLEGT process:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htm

Transparency international index(www.transparency.org) Corruption perceptions

WWF (www.panda.org);

ELDIS (www.eldis.org) regional and countryprofiles

www.cites.org

No illegal logging takes place within Yorkssupply. York buys the timber directly fromthe legal owner of the property. Since Yorkcontrols the harvesting and transport, thereis no danger of this timber getting mixedwith illegally harvested logs.

Low risk

1.1.2 There is evidence in thedistrict demonstrating thelegality of harvests and woodpurchases that includes robustand effective systems forgranting licenses and harvest

permits.

York has a robust framework is in place tocontrol any outside purchases. Purchaseagreements are in place prior to any logsupply and all suppliers either haveplanting permits or plantations that were

planted before 1972. York mills follow aCOC system that identifies sources oftimber.

No licencing or Harvest permits systemexists due to all timber being commerciallygrown by private growers.

Furthermore dedicated York staff isappointed in the Logistics dept. who dealwith the controlled wood sources and thelogistical flow of timber from our sources.

Low Risk
http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://www.illegal-logging.org/http://www.illegal-logging.org/http://www.illegal-logging.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.telapak.org/http://www.telapak.org/http://www.telapak.org/http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htmhttp://www.transparency.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://www.panda.org/http://www.panda.org/http://www.panda.org/http://www.eldis.org/http://www.eldis.org/http://www.eldis.org/http://www.cites.org/http://www.cites.org/http://www.cites.org/http://www.eldis.org/http://www.panda.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/theme/forest/initiative/index_en.htmhttp://www.telapak.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.eia-international.org/http://www.illegal-logging.org/http://www.transparency.org/http://www.fsc.org/


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1.1.3 There is little or no evidence orreporting of illegal harvestingin the district of origin.

NGOs and involved stakeholders York Forestry only purchases timber fromlegal landowners/growers and not from 3

rd

party timber traders.Low Risk

1.1.4 There is a low perception of

corruption related to thegranting or issuing ofharvesting permits and otherareas of law enforcementrelated to harvesting and woodtrade

Although the Transparency International

CPI for South Africa is below 5, there is noevidence of corruption in our timbersupplies. All trade in timber products intoour plants and operations are conducted bycompany employees and not through thirdparty timber traders. All purchases aremade from private growers/landownerswho trade from registered companies andhave all the necessary licenses andpermits. Due to the systems in place, see1.1.2 above, we determine the risk to below.

Low Risk

2 WOOD HARVESTED IN VIOLATION OF TRADITIONAL OR CIVIL RIGHTS

2.1 The district of origin may be considered low risk in relation to the violation of traditional, civil and collective rights when all the followingindicators are present:


Finding & Evidence

(FSC-ADV-40-016 v2 - Sources ofinformation used to assess the indicatorsmust be listed)

Result

Unspecifiedrisk

Low

2.1.1 There is no UN Security

Council ban on timber exportsfrom the country concerned;

E.g. This has applied to Liberia, as of July 2003(www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htm)

Global Witnesswww.globalwitness.org

No known export bans for South Africa

Sources used:

www.un.org

www.globalwitness.org

www.illegal-logging.info

www.eldis.org

Low Risk
http://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htmhttp://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htmhttp://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htmhttp://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htmhttp://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.globalwitness.org/http://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htmhttp://www.un.org/esa/africa/UNNews_Africa/timber.htm


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2.1.2 The country or district is notdesignated a source of conflicttimber (E.g. USAID Type 1conflict timber);

The final report of the expert panel on illegalexploitation of natural resources and other formsof wealth in Democratic Republic of Congo,2002, Annexes I and III (S/2002/1146)www.naturalresources.org/minerals/CD/docs/oth

er/N0262179.pdfConflict Timber: Dimensions of the Problem inAsia and Africa. Volume I. Synthesis report.June 2003, available at:www.usaid.gov/hum_response/oti/pubs/vol1synth.pdf

South Africa is not a source of conflicttimber. Low Risk

2.1.3 There is no evidence of childlabour or violation of ILOFundamental Principles andRights at work taking place in

forest areas in the districtconcerned

FSC National Initiatives and Regional Officescontactswww.fsc.org

ILO country offices

No violations are known or have beenreported against any of the suppliers listed in2. Supplier Details in the restrictedinformation section above. Labour Law inSouth Africa is enforced by the Dept. ofLabour. York only deals with registeredlegal companies throughout its business.Adherence to all applicable SA legislationforms part of the York contract agreementwith contractors.

Low Risk

2.1.4 There are recognized andequitable processes in place toresolve conflicts of substantialmagnitude pertaining totraditional rights including userights, cultural interests ortraditional cultural identity in

the district concerned;


Indigenous Peoples Organizations

Local community associations in the district

Risk register

National Sources (e.g. records of land claimsnegotiation concluded or in progress,summaries of court decisions)

There is a legal framework for land claims,and other conflicts of traditional rights thatcan be considered to deal with these issues.

Low Risk

2.1.5 There is no evidence ofviolation of the ILO Convention169 on Indigenous and TribalPeoples taking place in theforest areas in the districtconcerned.


ILO country offices No evidence of this is available. Low Risk
http://www.usaid.gov/http://www.usaid.gov/http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/oti/pubs/vol1synth.pdfhttp://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/oti/pubs/vol1synth.pdfhttp://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/oti/pubs/vol1synth.pdfhttp://www.usaid.gov/http://www.usaid.gov/


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3 WOOD HARVESTED FROM FOREST IN WHICH HIGH CONSERVATION VALUES ARE THREATENED BY MANAGEMENTACTIVITIES

3.1 The district of origin may be considered low risk in relation to any threat to high conservation values if:

a) indicator 3.1 is met; or

b) indicator 3.2 eliminates (or greatly mitigates) the threat posed to the district of origin by non-compliance with 3.1


Finding & Evidence


Result

Unspecifiedrisk

Low

3.1.1 Forest management activitiesin the relevant level (eco-region, sub-eco-region, local)do not threaten eco-regionallysignificant high conservation

values;

FSC documentation on HCVFs:www.fsc.org

Eco-region definition and information:

http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.

cfmThose regions identified by ConservationInternational as a Biodiversity Hotspot

(or) Those ecosystems and communities thatare explicitly identified by ConservationInternational as a key component of aBiodiversity Hotspot

Those forest, woodland, or mangrove eco-regions identified by World Wildlife Fund as aGlobal 200 Eco-region and assessed by WWFas having a conservation status ofendangeredorcritical. If the Global 200 Eco-region

comprises more than a single terrestrial eco-region, an eco-region within the Global 200 Eco-region can be considered low risk if the sub-eco-region is assessed with a Conservation Statusother than critical/endangered.

Those regions identified by the WorldConservation Union (IUCN) as a Centre of PlantDiversity

Those regions identified by ConservationInternational as a High Biodiversity WildernessArea that are forests and contain contiguous

Commercial forest harvesting in SA is fromtimber plantations. There is no establishedtrade in natural forest timber products fromthe areas York source their controlled woodfrom. The planting permits prohibit plantingof plantations in sensitive areas. Satellitemonitoring is done by government to monitorthis through independent consultants.Currently, York only sources Pine and

Eucalyptus timber from established timberplantations.

Low Risk
http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fsc.org/http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.cfmhttp://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.cfmhttp://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.cfmhttp://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.cfmhttp://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions.cfmhttp://www.fsc.org/


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forest ecosystems greater than 500 km .

Those regions identified by the WorldResources Institute as a Frontier Forest

Intact Forests Landscapes, as identified byGreenpeace (www.intactforests.org)

3.1.2 A strong system of protection(effective protected areas andlegislation) is in place thatensures survival of the HCVsin the eco-region;

FSC National Initiatives

Signatory to the Convention on BiologicalDiversityhttps://www.biodiv.org/world/parties.asp anddemonstrable progress towards completing anetwork of protected areas, such as an overallpositive analysis of the latest country thematicreport on Forest Ecosystemshttps://www.biodiv.org/reports/list.aspx?type=for

Yes, legislation is in place to protect thesespecies refer to planting permits. As statedabove, commercial forests are not planted inHCV areas.

Low Risk

4 WOOD HARVESTED FROM AREAS BEING CONVERTED FROM FORESTS AND OTHER WOODED ECOSYSTEMS TOPLANTATIONS OR NON-FOREST USES

4.1. The district of origin may be considered low risk in relation to conversion of forest to plantations or non-forest uses when the followingindicator is present:

[Note: the change from plantations to other land uses is not considered as conversion].


Finding & Evidence


Result

Unspecifiedrisk

Low

4.1.1 There is no net loss AND nosignificant rate of loss (> 0.5%per year) of natural forests andother naturally woodedecosystems such assavannahs taking place in theeco-region in question

FAO GOFC-GOLD Global Observation of Forestand Land Cover Dynamics

FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment

Conservation International Regional AnalysisProgram

University of Maryland Department ofGeography

UNEP/GRID Division of Early Warning andAssessment

Planting permits govern this private landowners are not allowed to unilaterallyconvert unplanted areas to plantations.There are numerous examples in the pastwhere planting regulations have been strictlyenforced. Any loss of open areas isgenerally due to expansion of urban areasand not due to expanding plantations. Losscan also be attributed to fires but, in theopen areas, this is allowed to re-grow and inthe case of plantations, the area is

Low Risk
http://www.intactforests.org/http://www.intactforests.org/http://www.intactforests.org/https://www.biodiv.org/world/parties.asphttps://www.biodiv.org/world/parties.asphttps://www.biodiv.org/reports/list.aspx?type=forhttps://www.biodiv.org/reports/list.aspx?type=forhttps://www.biodiv.org/reports/list.aspx?type=forhttps://www.biodiv.org/world/parties.asphttp://www.intactforests.org/


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SERVIR Regional Monitoring andVisualization System for Mesoamerica

Congo Basin Forest Partnership and CARPE

CEC Joint Research Centre

INPE-PRODES Brazils National Institute forSpace Research

Hansen, M., DeFries, R., Townshend, J.R.,Carroll, M., Dimiceli,C., Sohlberg, R. 2003. 500m MODIS Vegetation Continuous Fields.College Park, Maryland: The Global Land CoverFacility.

National data sources

FSC National Initiatives and Regional Officescontacts www.fsc.org

replanted.

5 WOOD FROM FORESTS IN WHICH GENETICALLY MODIFIED TREES ARE PLANTED

5.1 Requirements related to wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted


Finding & Evidence


Result

Unspecified risk

Low

5.1.1 The district of origin may be

considered low risk in relationto wood from geneticallymodified trees when one of thefollowing indicators is compliedwith:

a) There is no commercial use ofgenetically modified trees ofthe species concerned takingplace in the country or districtconcerned. OR

b) Licenses are required for

FAO, 2004. Preliminary review of biotechnologyin forestry, including genetic modification. ForestGenetic Resources Working Paper FGR/59E.Forest Resources Development Service, ForestResources Division, Rome, Italy. Availableonline:

http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTM

National and regional data sources

No GMO commercial plantations in thecountry also none in use by the currentcontrolled wood sources. There is noevidence at all that any such trees are beingcommercially grown in the country that mightfind their way into our supply chain. TheGenetically Modified Organism Act (No.15 of1997) of South Africa applies strict rules forany GMO testing.

Low Risk
http://www.fsc.org/http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTMhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTMhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTMhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTMhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/008/ae574e/AE574E00.HTMhttp://www.fsc.org/


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commercial use of geneticallymodified trees and there areno licenses for commercial useOR

c) It is forbidden to use

genetically modified treescommercially in the countryconcerned.

6 GENERAL


Finding & Evidence


Result

Unspecifiedrisk

Low

General search on the company

e.g. Google

On an internet search using Google andYahoo, no controversial evidence was foundon any of the suppliers listed in 2. SupplierDetails above.

There was however, an aged petition foundagainst York Timbers and other forestrycompanies titled mass killing of baboons bytimber companies in south Africa. Thispetition is old (approx 2007) and has beenclosed. The content in the petition is notbased on factual evidence but is based onhearsay and unsubstantiated allegations. Afew local press articles reporting on the

Baboon problem also appear on the internet.2011 Update

A local NGO, GeaSphere, lodged a formalcomplaint against 3 forestry companiesincluding York Timbers with FSC in January2011 alleging that baboon control infringedcertain Principles & Criteria, and thataccordingly all FSC-certified forestrycompanies should be de-certified. AnIndependent Investigation Panel was set upby the FSC and this convened in May 2011.

Low Risk


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A final report was issued on 29 May 2011detailing its findings and recommendations:

Panel Findings:

1. No National legislation orInternational Rules or Convention

has been broken;

2. There is no infraction of Criterion6.6 which deals with Pestmanagement;

3. While ethics were not a specificcomplaint, there was an ethicalundertone in supportingdocuments. The finding on this wasthat ethics of species notendangered or specificallyprotected is not adequatelyaddressed in the P&Cs. The panel

found that the companies shouldcontinue to seek the mostappropriate means of control, andnon-lethal approaches wherepossible; and the FSC mustdevelop policies and guidelines forethical issues relating to control ofspecies causing damage to forests.

Panel Recommendations:

1. The FSC work urgently to provideethical guideline for the control ofspecies causing damage to forests;

2. The panel is not prepared torecommend a moratorium on thekilling of baboons,

3. A number of managementsuggestions were made forconsideration by variousstakeholders.

York Timbers is a member of the industryBaboon Damage Working Group which hasbeen formed to find ethical and sustainable


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solutions to reduce damage by baboons.The group consists of the 3 local timbercompanies, 2 government departments, and5 other members representing NGOs andpublic stakeholders. Whilst efforts areunderway to find non-lethal control methods,

the damage is of such an extent thatcompanies have had to resort to short-termreduction of baboon populations to protectthe sustainability of the timber crop. All suchoperations are carried under permits issuedby the Mpumalanga Tourism & ParksAgency (MTPA), and also comply with theethics and best operating practice defined inthe Protocol for managing Baboon damagein Southern African Commercial TimberPlantations. The MTPA also inspect suchoperations from time to time as anindependent control. In light of this, York

Timbers views the risk to be low.

End of report