Sachsenforst to focus on less stringent forest standards in future

The state-owned company Sachsenforst is largely withdrawing from certification in accordance with the international sustainability standard FSC - and is thus meeting with sharp criticism from environmental associations and the Greens. "By withdrawing from FSC certification, Sachsenforst is forfeiting a key opportunity to make forestry in Saxony fit for the future," said Felix Ekardt, Chairman of the Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) in Saxony.

FSC withdrawal for large parts of the state forest

According to Sachsenforst, only the Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape biosphere reserve (3.100 hectares) will be managed according to the FSC standard until 2028.

The FSC standard (Forest Stewardship Council) is internationally regarded as credible proof of sustainable forest management with higher ecological requirements than the widespread PEFC seal, under which the Saxon state forest has been certified for many years. PEFC stands for "Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes".

In view of the climate crisis, forest damage and species extinction, "higher and not lower ecological standards" are needed, according to Ekardt from BUND. The less stringent PEFC standard does not meet these requirements.

The Greens in the Saxon state parliament also expressed their disappointment. "The decision to withdraw FSC certification is a bitter setback for a sustainable forest policy in Saxony," explained the parliamentary group's environmental policy spokesperson, Wolfram Günther. With the FSC seal, Saxony has shown that natural, socially responsible and internationally recognized forest management is possible. "To give up this opportunity now with reference to excessive costs is short-sighted and irresponsible," criticized Günther.

Bureaucracy slows down sustainability - Sachsenforst defends itself

Sachsenforst defended the move. FSC certification was launched in 2020 as a pilot project on around a third of the state forest area, the state-owned company announced. Although the standard had been met in all sub-operations, an evaluation had shown that "a few positive aspects of FSC certification were offset by considerable bureaucratic and operational effort". In addition, restrictions in the German FSC standard would have prevented "the continuation of extraordinarily proven silvicultural methods" for the conversion of spruce stands into site-appropriate mixed oak forests.

Despite the withdrawal, Sachsenforst refers to its own extensive nature conservation measures, such as forest conversion, deadwood and biotope tree management, moor and stream renaturation and species protection for rare large birds. "As in the past, Sachsenforst will continue to fulfill its statutory role model function in the future and implement extensive measures to protect nature and species in the state forest," it said.