This document discusses bamboo certification and challenges for industry. It begins with an overview of forest certification schemes globally and in China, noting that China has three co-existing schemes - CFCC, PEFC, and FSC. It then discusses bamboo forest certification, noting China and Ecuador have special standards and FSC has certified 17 bamboo forest units in China. Challenges for bamboo forest managers include higher standards and costs, while benefits are increased income and marketing. Challenges for bamboo manufacturers are also higher standards and costs, but benefits include market access and image. Certification of bamboo for food faces challenges of weak domestic demand and market development needs, but could realize higher prices and food security with benefits.

1. Bamboo Certification and
Challenge for Industry
Lu Wenming
Professor and Director
Division of International Cooperation
Chinese Academy of Forestry
April 10,2015

2.  1. Forest Certification Brief
 2. Bamboo Forest Certification
 3. Challenge for Industry
Contents

3. 1. Forest Certification Brief

4. Role of forest certificationRole of forest certification
 As a market based instrument to promote
sustainable forest management, forest certification
is becoming more and more popular and effective in
the world and also in China
 Two roles:
– Promote SFM
– Ensure market access, especially international
market

5. Forest certification schemesForest certification schemes
 There are two levels of forest certification schemes
 International schemes: PEFC and FSC
– PEFC: Largest in certified area
– FSC: Earliest in establishment
 National schemes:
– Over 40, US and Indonesia have 2 national
schemes each
– US (SFI and ATFS), Indonesia (LEI and IFCC),
Canada (CSA), Malaysia (MTCC), Australia (ASF),
Chile (Certfor)
– China (CFCC)

6. Global forest certification developmentGlobal forest certification development
 PEFC, as of December 2014
– Certified area: 263 million ha (largest)
– Forest owners: > 750,000
– COC: 15,804 certificates (China: 210)
 FSC, as of February 27, 2015
– Certified area: 186.413 million
– COC: 28,822 certificates (China: 4,333)
– FM/COC: 1,303 certificates

7. Forest certification in ChinaForest certification in China
 3 forest certification schemes co-exist in China
– China Forest Certification Scheme (CFCS)
managed by China Forest Certification Council
(CFCC), which is the national scheme in China
– PEFC Scheme
– FSC Scheme
 As CFCC was endorsed by PEFC on February 5, 2014
– Currently, in a transition of PEFC and CFCC

8. 3 forest certification schemes in China

9. China Forest Certification Council (CFCC)China Forest Certification Council (CFCC)

11. 2. Bamboo Forest Certification

12. Bamboo forest certification
 As a type of forest, bamboo forest can also be
certified for:
– Timber
– Food (bamboo shoots)
 Bamboo forest management certification for timber
– Similar to forest management certification
 For sustainable management
– Many schemes (international and national) just
use forest management certification standard to
audit it
– Only two countries have special bamboo forest
management certification standards
 China and Ecuador (Guadua bamboo)

13. Bamboo forest management certification
 Different from forest management certification
– No requirement on annual allowance cut (AAC)
– Very short term management plan
– More intensive management
– Less heavy machinery
– Not so strict requirements on biodiversity, due to
a kind of plantation specially monoculture
– More strict requirements on chemical use,
especially for bamboo for food

14. Bamboo forest management certification
 PEFC just endorses national schemes, does not
directly certify forest in China
 FSC certified 100 forest management units in China
– Including 17 forest management units of bamboo
forest management certification
 Using FSC international generic principles and
criteria
 All for timber, and further chain of custody for
bamboo products for export, such as bamboo
flooring, bamboo furniture (such as garden
furniture)

15. Bamboo certification standard in China
 Bamboo forest management certification standard
– Developed by the Chinese Academy of Forestry
– I am the team leader
– Effective from December 1, 2014
 Bamboo forest management certification audit
directive
– For the convenience of certification body
 Later on, operational guidelines for bamboo forest
management certification will be developed and
promulgated

16. Bamboo forest
management
certification
standard

17. Bamboo forest
management
certification
audit directive

18. Bamboo certification for food
 Only China has an indirect certification
standard which can apply to bamboo for food
 Forest certification in China – Non-wood forest
products management
– Plants: including bamboo shoots
– Animals

19. NWFP
certification
standard

20. NWFP
certification
audit directive

21. 3. Challenges for Industry

22. Challenges for industryChallenges for industry
 More and better opportunities than challenges
– Both for bamboo forest managers
– And for bamboo processing industries
– As well as bamboo products export traders
 Brief analysis is both for bamboo forest managers
and for bamboo processing industries

23. Challenges for bamboo managersChallenges for bamboo managers
 Challenges for bamboo forest managers: As mostly
small and household operation
– Higher standard management system, such as
bamboo forest management plan
– Higher requirements for management practices,
environmental, social and economic
– Higher costs, both direct for auditing and indirect
for improvement
– Stronger coordination for association, due to
group certification
 But benefits:
– Increased economic income
– Better marketing
– Better social responsibility
– Better environmental conservation

24. Challenges for bamboo manufacturesChallenges for bamboo manufactures
 Challenges for bamboo processing industries: As
mostly small and medium enterprises (SME)
– Higher standard management system
– Not very easy access to certified bamboo raw
materials
– Not stable order for export
– Higher costs, but not significant
 But benefits:
– Increased economic income
– Better international market access
– Better image for social responsibility and
environmental conservation

25. Certification of bamboo for foodCertification of bamboo for food
 Challenges for bamboo certification for food
– Not strong domestic market demand
– Export is mainly for Japan, where environmental
awareness is still weak
– As certification is just for management sustainability,
not for food security (although a little)
 Consumers care for more security than
sustainability
 So, market demand needs to be cultivated
 Benefits (foreseeing as no one certified right now):
– Much higher price premium (as other NWFP do)
– Relatively higher food security
– Better market access
– Better social responsibility and environmental
conservation

26. Thank You