China Hosts High Level International Forest Stewardship Council Meeting - June 22nd, 2007

A high-level international delegation from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is visiting Beijing, China, from Monday June 25th to Friday June 29th. FSC is the only internationally recognized standard setting organization for environmentally and socially responsible and economically viable forest management.

The decision by the FSC Board of Directors to hold its 45th meeting in China acknowledges the unprecedented speed of FSC’s establishment in the country. It also recognizes China’s important role and associated responsibility in ensuring responsible forest management and ethical timber trade and manufacturing. Further, at this meeting the FSC Board of Directors is expected to take important decisions on FSC’s Global Strategy that will guide the organization into a new era.

“Meeting in China gives the FSC Board of Directors a great opportunity to learn about Chinese forestry and forest products sectors. We see enormous potential for FSC in China. China imports wood from forests around the world and sells it to high value, environmentally and socially sensitive markets in North America and Europe. China and companies producing in China are natural allies to achieve FSC’s mission to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests,” said Mr. Grant Rosoman, Chairman of the FSC Board of Directors.

On June 25th, FSC International policy makers will be engaging with key stakeholders from China and Asia. Representatives of government agencies, major NGOs, companies and leading academics are expected to attend the interactive workshop. The Forest Certification Working Group in China, which is working to develop national FSC standards, will host the meeting.

“FSC’s visit to China recognizes the unmatched growth of FSC certification in a country with immense global importance to timber trade and manufacturing. This is a historic chance for the world’s forests and the wood and wood products sector,” said Mr. Heiko Liedeker, FSC International Executive Director.

FSC Chain of Custody certification is growing faster in China than anywhere else in the world. To date over 300 companies in China hold an FSC certificate. FSC Chain of Custody certification is the guarantee for traceability of FSC certified timber through the production process. It is a prerequisite for labeling timber products with FSC Trademarks.

More than 90 million hectares of forests and plantations are certified to FSC standards in 79 countries worldwide. In China more than 700’000 hectares of forest are currently FSC certified.

For further information, pictures, background material and interviews please visit www.fsc.org or contact:

• Alistair Monument, Technical Director, FSC China: Tel. +86 13608967508; china@fsc.org;

• Nina Haase, Communications Manager, FSC International Center, Bonn, Germany: Tel. +49 160 966 594 90, n.haase@fsc.org.

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