Uganda is a signatory to the United Nations Non-legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (2008). The Instrument encourages the private sector, civil society organizations and forest owners to develop, promote and implement instruments, such as voluntary certification systems or other appropriate mechanisms, to develop and promote forest products from sustainably managed forests. This was in line with the Uganda National Forestry Policy which had been in existence since 2001.
Uganda embarked on development of a National Standard for responsible forest management based on global Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) principles, criteria and international generic indicators. The National Standard is being developed by the Forestry Standards Development Group – Uganda (SDG-Uganda) hosted by Environmental Alert on behalf of the Uganda Forestry Working Group ( UFWG) with support from World Wide Fund for Nature( WWF). The SDG is recognized and approved by with 21 members (7 per chamber = economic, environmental and social) composed of various stakeholders from research and academia, civil society, private sector and government mandated forestry institutions who were selected in a national consultative process.
Currently, the process is in advanced stages, thus the 2nd Draft National Forestry Stewardship standard (NFSS) was submitted to the FSC on the 29th March 2016. According to the FSC guidelines, it requires that the entire process of NFSS is built on a consultative process (FSC, 1998). This Draft 2 NFSS should therefore be subjected to consultations among stakeholders within 60 days as required by the guidelines.
The SDG Uganda therefore seeks your review, comments and feedback on Draft 2 NFSS.
You can download the draft and the feedback form here
(Draft NFSS_Uganda_Forest Tested Draft _ March 2016_Submitted)
Please submit your comments and feedback before 27th May 2016 through Dr. Joshua Zake, Environmental Alert, and email: joszake@gmail.com, with copy to: PM@envalert.org, ed@envalert.org, steveamooti@gmail.com,stephen.khaukha@gmail.com, edward.mupada@gmail.com, masiimwe@wwfuganda.org
Additional information
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) is an international multi-stakeholder organization established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. (https://ic.fsc.org/en).
Benefits of FSC forest certification:
Goodbusiness: Forest certification promotes best forest management practices. It also leadstoimprovedmarketaccess,higher prices,morestablecontracts,favorablecreditarrangements, improved production efficiencyand enhanced public image.
Beneficialto people and nature: Itimprovespayfor workers, attentiontoworkersafety,and training for workersandstimulates thedevelopmentofcommunityinfrastructure.
Beneficial to the environment:Forest certificationwill ensure protection of endangered and threatenedspecies,areasofculturalvaluesandthe safeguardingofsoilandwatervalues.Itwill alsodemonstrate legallogging andreduceillegalities.Saleofillegallylogged timberwill belimitedandecosystemserviceswill bereinstated.
Beneficialto the consumer:Consumers will become environmentally aware and demand for forest products from forests that are well managed.
Beneficial to the forest owner:In addition to global market access, there will be better prices for the products as illegal logging, and cheaper imports become restricted.
