The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is seeking stakeholder comments on a new draft interpretation of plantation re-establishment requirements for Australia's National Forest Stewardship Standard (NFSS).
The consultation, which runs from January 16 to February 8, seeks feedback on the second draft interpretation of Indicators 10.1.1 and 10.1.2 within the NFSS (FSC-STD-AUS-01-2018). These indicators define how plantations must be regenerated, including whether species composition can be altered.
The process began in 2025 following a request from an FSC-accredited certification body for clarification on applying these indicators when a native-species plantation is harvested and proposed for re-establishment with an exotic species.
FSC International developed an initial draft, which underwent public consultation from June 6 to July 18, 2025. Subsequently, the Australian Standards Development Group (SDG), currently revising the NFSS, took responsibility for preparing a second draft. The SDG has now released this revised interpretation based on initial stakeholder feedback and is soliciting further input.
Previous reports indicated that some Australian forest managers, supported by major superfunds, might risk breaching FSC certification if they replaced native hardwood plantations with exotic species like Radiata pine. The initial draft interpretation from FSC International suggested that such species changes could conflict with Criterion 10.1, which mandates FSC-certified organizations to regenerate harvested sites to recover the overall composition and structure of the original plantation.
Diana Hallam, CEO of the Australian Forest Products Association, stated that this position could discourage investment in long-rotation hardwoods. She expressed concerns that owners and managers might feel restricted to specific species, hindering transitions, and urged FSC to maintain flexibility in its certification framework.
Melanie Robertson, CEO of FSC ANZ, clarified that the interpretation was a draft and emphasized the importance of stakeholder feedback. She noted that ambiguities often arise when standards are applied in practice, and interpretations aim to provide clarity. Robertson stated that draft interpretations frequently undergo significant changes following consultation and encouraged participation to ensure the final outcome is reasonable, practical, and auditable.
After the current consultation closes on February 8, the SDG will review all submissions to determine if further amendments are necessary. If no substantive changes are identified, the interpretation will be submitted to the FSC Australia and New Zealand Board for approval, then forwarded to FSC International for final endorsement and publication.