Producers looking for Voluntary Forest Certification

Some forest producers from the Coffee Triangle described the workshop "Tools for certified producers or those with the purpose of being certified" as productive. The workshop was conducted by the Research Group on Tropical Andean Agroecosystems Management "GATA" (for its initials in Spanish), from the Environmental Sciences Faculty of Tecnologica University in Pereira, and assigned to Colciencias. This event was supported by the: Positioning of Forest Governance in Colombia Project, led by the CARDER.

During the event, which was attended by certified producers as well as those who are in the process of becoming so, it became clear that the FSC certification scheme brings three key areas of human life together, leading to environmentally sustainable activities, socially beneficial and economically viable.

"This means that any activity you under take is associated with good management and meets a number of international regulations" said Jose Luis Rengifo, FSC representative in Colombia, who explained the procedures to become certified in the workshopwhich took place at the Visitor Centre in the Botanical Garden at Tecnologica University on July 30th.

According to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), there are about 150 thousand hectares of forest plantations in Colombia that have such certification.

In regards to the Coffee Triangle, Corguadua is the only group of Colombian business men and forestry producers which has FSC certification for natural bamboo forest but, there are different groups in the region interested in becoming certified.

The Positioning of Forest Governance Project is funded by the European Union and led by CARDER, in association with Corantioquia, Corpocaldas, CRC, Codechocó, Corponariño, Corponor, CRQ, Cortolima, Corpourabá, CVC, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Asocars and Aldea Global.