Certificates
Over the decades, Estonia’s state forest has been managed sustainably. Logging has not exceeded the natural growth of the forest, and efforts have been made to minimise environmental damage during forest activities. Additionally, a significant portion of the state forest is strictly protected.
In the international timber trade, the certification of the origin of timber has become increasingly important. Many timber products can only be sold in markets if the timber used to produce them is certified. To ensure that Estonian timber and products made from it have ample selling opportunities, RMK offers certified timber to its customers. RMK has received two sustainable forest management certificates: FSC (Forest Stewardship Council and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification).
Both are widely recognised global standards for assessing sustainable forest management.
Adhering to these standards confirms that a forest is being managed in a balanced way, taking into account environmental, social and economic factors. The preference for timber with either certification depends on market demands.
Both the FSC and PEFC certificates undergo an annual audit and re-certification every five years. RMK has maintained its FSC certificate since 2002 and its PEFC certification since 2010.
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FSC Certificate
Established to promote responsible forest management globally, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, international, non-profit organisation that operates without government influence.
In certification of its compliance with FSC’s requirement, RMK has been issued a forest management and supply chain certificate: Code SCS-FM/COC-008521. Timber sales documents shall be marked ‘FSC 100%’.
The FSC license code is FSC-CO22757. RMK has held the FSC sustainable forest management certificate since 2002.
PEFC Certificate
The PEFC Forest Management Standard was established in Europe in 1999 to support sustainable forest management and, importantly, to involve smaller forest owners.
In certification of its compliance with PEFC’s requirements, RMK has been issued a forest management and supply chain certificate with code TT-PEFC-FM020.
General principles for differentiating and handling FSC and PEFC-certified and uncertified timber
RMK has the right to sell as certified timber, standing timber cutting rights, and other forestry products (e.g. Christmas trees) acquired in accordance with valid FSC and PEFC forest management standards and applicable legislation by adding the FSC certificate code of RMK to the delivery and sales documents of the products and the statement “FSC 100%”, and the PEFC certificate code and the statement “100% PEFC Certified”.
In addition to timber obtained through regular forest management, the following are sold as certified products:
- timber acquired in the course of deforestation and cutting performed in the protection zones of power lines and gas pipelines on forest land in the possession of RMK
- timber acquired in the course of deforestation (ditch and road routes) and felling performed upon the construction, reconstruction, renewal and maintenance of drainage systems and forest roads on forest land in the possession of RMK
- timber obtained from cuttings required for nature conservation purposes on forest land in the possession of RMK, e.g. the renewal of semi-natural biotic communities and bogs
- timber obtained from cutting performed on forest land administered by the Ministry of Defence pursuant to the Forest Act
- timber obtained from cutting on forest land administered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications pursuant to the Forest Act
- timber obtained from cutting on forest land in the possession of the Estonian Land Board pursuant to the Forest Act
RMK has the right to sell and document timber, standing timber cutting rights, and other forestry products as only PEFC-certified in the following cases:
- timber acquired from deforestation and cutting performed on the basis of planning, surveys and environmental impact assessments in areas of mineral deposits nationally approved for the use of mineral resources, including land in the possession of RMK, if the intended purpose of the area becomes mining land
- timber acquired from deforestation and cutting performed on the basis of planning, surveys and environmental impact assessments on infrastructure objects located on land in the possession of RMK (construction or extension of new roads, construction or extension of power lines, the state border, etc.)
- timber acquired from deforestation and cutting performed for the purpose of enabling the intended agricultural use of (overgrown) agricultural land and grassland in the possession of RMK
- timber acquired from deforestation and cutting for nature conservation purposes on non-forest land in the possession of RMK
- timber acquired from deforestation performed on forest land and cutting performed on non-forest land administered by the Ministry of Defence pursuant to the Forest Act
- timber acquired from deforestation performed on forest land and cutting performed on non-forest land administered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications pursuant to the Forest Act
- timber obtained from deforestation performed on forest land and cutting on non-forest land in the possession of the Land Board on the basis of the Forest Act
- timber obtained from deforestation and cutting performed on forest land and cutting performed on non-forest land in the possession of the Ministry of the Interior based on the orders of the Government of Estonia
Felled timber, sold standing timber cutting rights and other forestry products are not certified on state land that has not been reformed (land not belonging to the state until 23 July 1940), where RMK represents the state in the course of deforestation and performs sanitary cutting that is crucial for forest protection. No FSC or PEFC certificate codes are added to the delivery and sales documents of these products.
Likewise, timber acquired from deforestation performed on the basis of maintenance schedules of infrastructure objects (highways, gas pipelines) and their protection zones located on the land of other owners is not sold as FSC or PEFC-certified.