Forest certification scheme launched, origin of tree-based products can be checked by green-conscious consumers

India’s environment ministry launches the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme, which aims to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry practices. The scheme provides an environmental label that informs consumers about the origin and source of forest and tree-based products. It allays concerns over deforestation and illicit timber trade through certification, boosting the export potential of India’s wood-based products.

Certification is available to farmers, institutions, and industries involved in agroforestry and the wood value chain. Representative image (ANI) NEW DELHI: In order to encourage sustainable forest management and agroforestry practices in the country, the environment ministry has recently launched the Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme that will provide an environmental label informing both domestic and international consumers about the origin and source of the forest and tree-based products. Since the scheme will allay concerns of such green-conscious consumers over deforestation and illicit timer trade through certification, it will increase the export potential of India’s wood-based products.

“Certified products would be sold on competitive domestic and global markets and thus encourage consumers towards green products,” said environment secretary, Leena Nandan . She said, “Certification under the scheme is available to individual farmers, groups of farmers, institutions, or industries engaged in agroforestry, wood-based industries, or any entities involved in the wood value chain. ” The scheme offers a certification logo, bearing the brand name PRAMAAN, which can be applied and used on the certified wood products or processed items.

It includes forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification and chain of custody certification, right from origin to market, for both timber and non-timber forest produce. Implementation of the scheme will be carried out by the Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, providing operational support and facilitating certification processes and procedures. “The certification process will be conducted by impartial, competent, and independent certification bodies.

These bodies will handle applications, conduct independent audits based on criteria and indicators outlined in the certification standards adopted by the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme,” said the secretary. The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India will accredit the certification bodies which will carry out independent audits and assess adherence on the Indian Forest Management Standard, consisting of eight sustainability criteria, 69 indicators and 254 verifiers, which is an integral part of the National Working Plan Code 2023. The Code was released last year for scientific management of forests and evolving new approaches.

It deals in detail the essentials of forest management planning, incorporating the principles of sustainable management of forests. This includes extent and condition of forest and tree cover; maintenance, conservation and enhancement of biodiversity including wildlife, forest health and vitality, conservation and management of soil and water resources, enhancement of forest resource productivity, maintenance and enhancement of social, economic, cultural and spiritual benefits. It also provides for the appropriate policy, legal and institutional framework.

For the first time, the National Working Plan Code-2023 has prescribed state forest departments to engage in continuous data collection and its updation in a centralized database. The Indian Forest Management Standard which is a part of this code, takes into account the diverse forest ecosystem in the country, while trying to bring in uniformity in management. The Standards for Sustainable Forest Management have been codified in the Indian Forest Management Standard, based on long term experiences of scientific forest management in India and in sync with international criteria and indicators.

About the Author Vishwa Mohan Vishwa Mohan is Senior Editor at The Times of India. He writes on environment, climate change, agriculture, water resources and clean energy, tracking policy issues and climate diplomacy. He has been covering Parliament since 2003 to see how politics shaped up domestic policy and India’s position at global platform.

Before switching over to explore sustainable development issues, Vishwa had covered internal security and investigative agencies for more than a decade. Read More FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Visual Stories Previous 10 Most Affordable Cities in India to Buy a House business Most Visited Monuments in India business The Pros and Cons of Investing in Value Stocks business Investing in Small-Cap Stocks: Top 10 Tips for Absolute Beginners business 10 Ways to Earn Money Online by Selling Physical Products business Richest Cricket Players Across the World business 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Warren Buffett’s Investment Process business Priyanka Chopra Net Worth: Know How Rich is Global Actress business Top 10 Benefits of Investing in Small-Cap Stocks business 15 Best Tax Saving Schemes in India business Next 1 2 3 Elections Chhattisgarh CM News MP CM News Rajasthan Election Results MP Election Result 2023 Chhattisgarh Election Result Mizoram Election Result TOP TRENDS Jeffrey Epstein Aditya L1 Mission Horoscope Today Gautam Adani West Bengal ED Raids T20 World Cup Schedule.