THE revised UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) has been formally endorsed by PEFC International – but is still to be given final approval by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). 

Forestry officials have confirmed they will move forward with the adoption of UKWAS 5.0 as a PEFC-conformant standard for the UK, effective from December 1. 

However, while the PEFC endorsement is complete, FSC International has indicated that UKWAS 5.0 will require further amendments to conform fully with its requirement. UKWAS has indicated that this will likely lead to "differences between the FSC and PEFC requirements". This has previously been the case in some areas, such as pesticide use. 

This will mean that, from next month, there is likely to be a period where certificate holders "need to be certified to two versions of the UKWAS standard" - UKWAS 4.0 and UKWAS 5.0. 

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PEFC UK executive director John Kirkby said: "Whilst our endorsement is complete, PEFC UK remains fully engaged in our role on the UKWAS working and steering groups and we look forward to receiving FSC’s feedback, in order that we can produce a jointly endorsed standard that best benefits our certificate holders, and maintains and enhances the productive, social and environmental values of certified forests in the UK.

"Given that our certificate holders are likely to experience a period when they will need be certified to two versions of the UKWAS standard, and the likelihood that there will also be some differences between the FSC and PEFC requirements in the final jointly endorsed standard.

"I will be working with UKWAS and FSC UK to ensure that we can provide as much help as possible to our certificate holders and certification bodies to ensure that the differences between UKWAS 4 and UKWAS 5.0 and the differences between the requirements of the two schemes are clearly identified and understood."

From December 1: 

  • UKWAS 5.0 will become a PEFC-only conformant standard.
  • PEFC FM Certificate Holders will need to complete a transition audit from UKWAS 4 to UKWAS 5 before 1 December 2025 in accordance with the UKWAS Standard Setting Process.
  • Until such time as the FSC revision process is completed, dual certificate holders will be audited against UKWAS 5.0 for PEFC and continue to be audited against UKWAS 4 for their FSC certification.

Chris Sutton, PEFC UK chairman, said: "We are delighted to have achieved endorsement of the standard, and I would like to place on record my thanks to all members of the UKWAS working group and UKWAS steering group, who I understand have worked pragmatically and constructively throughout the process to produce a revised standard that conforms with all 250 PEFC International sustainable forest management benchmarks." 

For further information about the endorsement of UKWAS 5 by PEFC International and sustainable forest management in the UK, contact jkirkby@pefc.co.uk

Elsewhere, PEFC UK has appointed Andrew Sowerby to its board. The Pryor & Rickett Silviculture director will "provide guidance and expertise on forestry and woodland management". 

Andrew SowerbyAndrew Sowerby (Image: Supplied)

“I’m looking forward to working with PEFC UK and fellow board members to develop new angles on developing wider awareness and understanding of PEFC certification and its benefits,” said Andrew.