Foreword

November 2006

The launch of the United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) in June 1999 represented a unique coming together of organisations with an interest in sustainable forestry. Their work in developing a certification standard for sustainable woodland management had put the UK at the forefront of the global forest certification movement. Today, the UKWAS process continues to attract international interest and we frequently receive international visitors wishing to learn whether our experience might be helpful to them in formulating their own national processes.

Seven years on, it is clear that the working group which prepared the standard produced a first class piece of work. The standard has proved robust and durable and there have been remarkably few points on which further clarification was required by its users. Moreover, forest certification is now an established part of the UK forestry scene and the UKWAS is the certification standard of choice. There can be no doubt that the UKWAS has contributed to raising the standard of woodland management across the United Kingdom.

This second edition has again been developed by a multi-stakeholder steering group whose work was informed by responses to a public consultation exercise. It incorporates various changes reflecting our greater understanding of some complex issues plus necessary updates and clarifications. I am convinced that it will prove to be as robust as the first edition and that it will continue to serve a vital role in enabling producers to demonstrate their good credentials to consumers.

Additional Foreword

November 2008

This amended version of the Second Edition of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard has been specifically developed to make the standard more accessible for managers of small and / or low intensity managed woodlands. It was developed by the UKWAS Steering Group with the support of a Small Woods Task Group and was again informed by responses to a public consultation exercise.

The principal change is the introduction of a new Small and Low Intensity Managed (‘SLIM’) woodland category: this incorporates the previous Small Woodland category of 100 hectares or under and extends it to include woodlands being managed in a low intensity manner using a definition based on harvested volumes. As part of future revisions the Steering Group will look for further opportunities to better cater for small woods, especially for very small woods of 10 hectares or under.

A list of the text changes made is available on www.ukwas.org.uk

Peter Wilson FICFor FRICS CEnv
Executive Chairman