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Bolivia Takes the Lead in SmartWood/FSC Tropical Forest CertificationOctober 6, 2005
New York -- Bolivia has more certified forests than any other tropical country on Earth, thanks to its ongoing work with SmartWood, a program of the Rainforest Alliance. Over the past ten years, SmartWood has certified over 5 million acres (2 million hectares) of the country's forestland, so that one quarter of Bolivia's managed forests now meet the rigorous standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC standards protect the rights and welfare of workers and neighboring communities, while conserving wildlands and wildlife. Most of the certified lands are owned by the Bolivian government and leased to private forestry companies, including CIMAL/IMR, Compania Comercial e Industrial Cimagro Ltd, Aserradero San Martin and La Chonta. "We are thrilled to celebrate our long and productive relationship with Bolivia," says SmartWood regional manager Katherine Pierront. "These certifications are due to the efforts of a highly efficient, experienced, ethical and committed staff. It has been a huge team effort." SmartWood -- the world's first independent forest certifier -- is now the largest forest certifier for the Forest Stewardship Council, a global accreditation program that it helped to establish in 1993. Bolivia's certified acres include a range of endangered ecosystems, including Amazonian forest and Chiquitano dry forest, both of which have been categorized by the World Wildlife Fund as Global 200 priority regions. The Bolivian Amazon is home to the short-eared dog, southern two-toed sloth, pygmy marmoset, saddleback tamarin and the Goeldi's monkey. The Chiquitano dry forest harbors such species as the barefaced currasow, pumas, jaguars and the maned wolf.
BOLFOR, a joint project between the United States Agency for International Development and the Bolivian government, provided much of the necessary training and technical assistance to achieve these certifications. BOLFOR has also helped fashion a national forestry law in line with FSC criteria, ensuring that high social and environmental standards become the norm throughout the country. With the new forestry law as a legal framework, and certification as a voluntary process, the Bolivian forestry industry has made major progress. Workers now receive on-the-job training and are issued appropriate protective gear. The quality of food and housing has improved substantially. And with written legal contracts and the right to negotiate collectively, workers feel more secure in their jobs. Forestlands are no longer subjected to the continued degradation formerly caused by loggers randomly breaking through the forest looking for mahogany or Spanish cedar. Roads are now planned and built based on topography and tree distribution. Protected areas are set aside so that fragile habitats are not left open to irreversible impacts. Additionally, at least 20% of the mature commercial trees are left behind as seed trees to help regenerate the forest, and hunting is strictly prohibited within the certified areas, aiding in the recovery of populations of endangered species. BOLFOR I Chief of Party, John Nittler notes, "Bolivia is one of the few examples in the tropics and developing world where substantive change has taken place in the forestry sector over the past 10 years." As a result of these changes, the forestry sector is now more profitable than ever. Businesses are engaging in activities such as kiln drying, sawing, or the production of manufactured goods, which can add value to the raw timber. Moreover, they now have access to lucrative North American and European markets, where concern for Amazon destruction has driven consumers to demand certified products. "SmartWood audits have also included economic analysis to help companies identify inefficiencies in staffing structure and layout of mills and plants," says Pierront.
"CIMAL/IMR was the first private company to achieve certification for its concessions in Bolivia," says Fernando Velarde of the CIMAL/IMR Group, "This has helped us reach certified exports of $8.5 million in 2004, and this year we expect to increase our offer of certified products to the United States and United Kingdom." Certified wood and wood products from Bolivia are making their way to consumers. Currently the largest retailers of Bolivian certified wood are B&Q, Carrefour and Lowe's, which are all leading do-it-yourself home improvement stores. Pierront is pleased with how readily government and enterprise in Bolivia have adapted to the principles of certification. "The companies we work with are quite progressive in their business strategies," she says, "They can look fifty years down the road and ask themselves, 'What do we need to do now to still be in business then?'" "Even more inspiring," adds SmartWood coordinator Rolyn Medina, "is that, despite the challenges of advancing toward certification, companies have maintained their high level of commitment throughout these ten years." Bolivian institutional officials are beaming with pride at their country's leadership position. "We are number one," says Juan Abuawad, president of the Forestry Chamber of Bolivia, "and we have reached this for the benefit of the Bolivian population and the whole planet."
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