The PEFC Collaboration Fund: looking forward and back

18 December 2013 Collaboration Fund

To bring to life a wide range of projects and inspiring collaboration and new partnerships promoting sustainable forest management and forest certification all over the world, PEFC has awarded over 350,000 Swiss Francs to 17 projects since 2011.

Following the success of the previous years, PEFC is pleased to announce the launch of the fourth edition of its competition, the 2014 Collaboration Fund. PEFC members and other non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit proposals for new and innovative projects. Project partners may also include private and public sector organizations. Application deadline is 12 April 2014.

"With the tremendous interest we have received from our first three competitions, we look forward to continue mobilizing unique and fresh ideas from partners committed to supporting PEFC's efforts in stimulating growth in sustainable forest management," commented Sarah Price, PEFC Head of Projects & Development.

While still early days, PEFC is already seeing results from the projects selected for the 2013 Collaboration Fund.

Sustainable biomass & international trade

In October, as part of the ‘Exploring Pathways to Deliver Sustainable Woody Biomass’ project, over 60 experts and stakeholders from nine different countries gathered in Savannah, Georgia, USA, to address the growing trade in wood energy. The workshop examined the international trade in wood pellets between the U.S.A. and Europe and furthered the understanding of how forest fiber can be responsibly sourced.

How did that mushroom get on my plate?

One of the outputs is already visible – and edible - to diners in the Castilla y León region of Spain. Thanks to the 2012 project on mushroom traceability, they are now able to discover where the mushrooms they are eating come from, who supplied them and the route they took to the plate.

This traceability is important to the region as it gives consumers more confidence in the origin of the mushrooms, providing an important added value to the people and businesses working in the supply chain. The next step is working towards the PEFC certification of these mushrooms.

Ensuring credibility of forest certification

In the Russian Far East, the 2012 Collaboration Fund supported a project to build capacity for the development of PEFC certification in the region. Over the last two years, project leader Forest Certification Center (FCC) has been working with key local stakeholders and the results are beginning to show.

A group of local experts are now included on PEFC Russia’s register of accredited auditors following the training they received as part of the project. Since the training, the group have already carried out their first audits, covering over 200,000 hectares of forest, with another 700,000 expected in 2014. Furthermore, the education courses held for companies have resulted in the uptake of PEFC Chain of Custody certification, with PEFC certified products from Far East Russia now entering markets in the EU and East Asia.

Following a series of consultations, an Advisory Council of Forest Certification was created to develop measures to help stimulate the development of forest certification in the region, continuing the work started by the project.

Interested in getting involved?

PEFC encourages locally relevant advancements in the sustainable management of forests through the PEFC Collaboration Fund. New and independent projects which embody and stand to deliver on the Fund’s objectives through the eligible means will be considered. Download the application form and apply by 12 April 2014.