Discription ofthe products

Name ofutilizingsystem
Related AreaGeneral
overview ofverification

Scheme tocheck forlegality at thetime oflogging

Scheme tocheck forsustainability

Scheme ofseparative
custody
management

Region/CountryCanada
Name of the products
Canadian Softwood Lumber: Spruce Pine Fir (SPF), Hem-Fir (N)Name of Exporter:
Council of Forest Industries (COFI) / Canada Wood
Mr. Paul J. Newman, Executive Director, Market Access & Trade
1501-700 West Pender Street
Pender Place, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
V6C 1G8
Outline of Exportation (Volume of importation/ End use etc)2009 Canadian Softwood Lumber Exports to Japan: 919,448,000fbm
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) which are internationallyrecognized under the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Forest StewardshipCouncil (FSC)
Region /Country: Provinces of British Columbia & Alberta, Canada
Party responsible for issuing verification
Individual association member companies of COFI and related Canada Wood industry trade associations areindividually responsible for each of their respective third party verification schemes.
Outline of issuing process
Certification issued through CSA, SFI (PEFC) and FSC third party accreditation bodies. Please contact
COFI / Canada Wood association member companies for further detail.
The system shall verify
both sustainability and legality are verified under PEFC and FSC certification schemes.
Definition of legality
In Canada illegal logging is defined as: (A) Theft of timber or logs, (B) deliberate harvesting without express
or implied authority to do so, or in unauthorized areas or where authority has been revoked for deficient
harvesting practices, or after government approvals are obtained by corrupt practices; (C) Where there is adeliberate failure to pay stumpage and/or royalties to forest owners
Relevant laws
Many laws exist at the national, provincial, regional and municipal levels
At the Provincial level for public lands: for example, B.C. Forest Practices Code, Park Act, Wildlife Act, LandAct
Details of presumed illegal activities
In British Columbia, the Ministry of Forests and Range conducts 15,000 forest site audits annually acrossthe province. Between 2003 and 2009 Ministry audits have revealed a compliance ratio of 99.9994% as apercentage of annual allowable cut (AAC).
Procedures for retaining and verifying the evidence
Respective certified member companies retain verification documentation in compliance with PEFC / FSC
certification schemes as well as related national and provincial laws.
Scheme implemented by the third party and so on to ensure reliability
Responsibility of third party verification scheme is decided by individual member companies.
Definition of sustainability
Sustainable forest management integrates economic, social and environmental aspects of management into
an appropriate balance that meets the needs of todayʼs society without jeopardizing the ability of future
generations to meet their needs.
Procedures for retaining and verifying the evidence
Respective certified member companies retain verification documentation in compliance with PEFC / FSC
certification schemes as well as related national and provincial laws.
Scheme implemented by the third party and so on to ensure reliability
Responsibility of third party verification scheme is decided by individual member companies.
Real picture of the dealings, from logging to export
Procedure for ensuring separative custody management
Scheme implemented by the third party and so on to ensure reliability

Future TaskandPerspectives

ReferenceAuthorCriticisms against the system and recognition of problems
Remediation procedure
Future perspectives
COFI / Canada Wood Japan will continue to strive in the future to educate and encourage member
companies on the Japanese Goho Wood requirements as they relate to the Forestry Agencyʼs guidelines
for green procurement and other relevant marketplace needs.
www.cofi.or.jp
Shawn Lawlor
Director, Japan Operations ‒ COFI / Canada Wood
Email address: lawlor@canadawood.jp