Over the past ten years B.C. has steadily lost market share in European lumber markets. The Pacific Rim markets including Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, other Asia and other Oceania accounted for nearly 2.4 billion board feet of lumber shipments, down from 2.9 billion in 1996. Overall offshore lumber exports were 2.6 billion board feet down from 3.1 billion board feet, in 1996.
Japan is the B.C.'s largest overseas market for lumber.
B.C. lumber exports to Japan have grown from 699 million board feet in 1970 to over 2.1 billion board feet in 1997. Canadian forest industry companies will use the standard as the basis for independent evaluations of their forest practices. Where appropriate, certification will be awarded confirming that the Standard is being complied with. Once the standard is available Canada will also adopt a proposed new ISO Standard, which has become the internationally recognized measure of sustainable forest management.