Revised advice note for protecting Intact Forest Landscapes published

Accreditation bodies are the safeguard for credible certification. They ensure the impartiality and competence of the organizations responsible for certifying forest owners and companies – the certification bodies. Given their importance within the whole PEFC system, it is vital that they are kept up-to-date on all the latest developments at PEFC. In January, program managers and technical experts from 11 countries travelled to Geneva for an intensive training program, focused specifically on chain of custody. “While we have been training accreditation bodies for several years, in the past it has always been done through webinars,” said Michael Berger, Head of Technical Unit at PEFC International. click Read More below for additional detail

After its invention in the 20th century, plastic was seen as a miracle material. Today, we know about the various health and environmental risks it brings. Korean company Dongnam Realize found a sustainable alternative in CXP, a new kind of thermosoftening wood made from PEFC-certified wood. Thanks to its plastic-like properties, CXP can replace the plastic products we use in our daily lives. We spoke to Seunghoon Lim, Chief Technology Officer at Dongnam Realize, who told us more about the material and its potential to make the future more sustainable.

Derik Frederiksen has been selected as the president of Forest Stewardship Council US, concluding an extensive national search process conducted by executive search firm Odgers Berndtson on behalf of the FSC US Board of Directors. An Alaska Native from the Tsm'syen Nation of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, Derik brings to the role decades of business experience, a deep commitment to forest conservation and a lifelong passion for helping advance Indigenous culture to protect ancestral homelands. “As we got to know Derik, we were so impressed by the way he has tied together commitments to forests and people throughout his career,” said Sarah Billig, FSC US board co-chair. “Coupled with his business experience at Sealaska, Derik’s vision and demonstrated ability to successfully grow organizations is the right fit for a moment when FSC is presented with so much opportunity.” Derik has spent much of his career at Sealaska, the Native Corporation for Southeast Alaska. He founded Sealaska Environmental Services, growing the organization over 11 years to 110 employees with contracts valued at more than $1.3 billion. Most recently, Derik served as Sealaska’s vice president, leading corporate communications, shareholder services and education, and workforce development. During this time, Derik helped develop a 165,000-acre forest carbon bank that generated 9.3 million tons of carbon credits.