ConFor has congratulated environment minister Elliot Morley on the government’s steps to strengthen its efforts to buy legally harvested timber from sustainably managed forests.
A letter from the board of ConFor said: “It is important to have clear guidance from the market on what mechanisms are acceptable. We therefore welcome the government’s work to define criteria for assessing certification schemes.”
ConFor supports the decision to give six months’ grace to those certification schemes that do not currently meet all the UK government requirements.
The letter added: “It is heartening that they were very close to doing so and we hope that they will work, in collaboration with the Central Point of Expertise on Timber, to provide government with the assurances it seeks within that time frame.”