1.8. Timber harvesting regulations

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.8. Timber harvesting regulations

Any legal requirements for harvesting techniques and technology including selective cutting, shelter wood regenerations, clear felling, transport of timber from felling site and seasonal limitations etc. Typically this includes regulations on the size of felling areas, minimum age and/or diameter for felling activities and elements that shall be preserved during felling etc. Establishment of skidding or hauling trails, road construction, drainage systems and bridges etc. shall also be considered as well as planning and monitoring of harvesting activities. Any legally binding codes for harvesting practices shall be considered.

1.5. Payment of royalties and harvesting fees

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.5. Payment of royalties and harvesting fees

Legislation covering payment of all legally required forest harvesting specific fees such as royalties, stumpage fees and other volume based fees. It also includes payments of the fees based on correct classification of quantities, qualities and species. Incorrect classification of forest products is a well-known issue often combined with bribery of officials in charge of controlling the classification.

1.4. Harvesting permits

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.4. Harvesting permits

Legislation regulating the issuing of harvesting permits, licences or other legal document required for specific harvesting operations. It includes the use of legal methods to obtain the permit. Corruption is a well-known issue in connection with the issuing of harvesting permits. Risk relates to situations where required harvesting is carried out without valid permits or where these are obtained via illegal means such as bribery. In some areas, bribery may be commonly used to obtain harvesting permits for areas and species that cannot be harvested legally (e.g., protected areas, areas that do not fulfil requirements of minimum age or diameter, tree species that cannot be harvested, etc.). In cases where harvesting permits classify species and qualities to estimate fees, corruption and bribery can be used to classify products that will result in a lower fee. The level of corruption in a country or subnational region is considered to play an important role and corruption indicators should therefore be considered when evaluating risks. In cases of illegal logging, harvesting permits from sites other than the actual harvesting site may be provided as a false proof of legality with the harvested material.

1.3. Management and harvesting planning

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.3. Management and harvesting planning

Any legal requirements for management planning, including conducting forest inventories, having a Forest Management Plan and related planning and monitoring, as well as approval of these by competent authorities. Cases where required management planning documents are not in place or are not approved by competent authorities should be considered. Low quality of the management plan resulting in illegal activities may be a risk factor for this indicator as well.

1.2. Concession licences

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.2. Concession licences

Legislation regulating procedures for the issuing of forest concession licences, including use of legal methods to obtain concession licence. Especially bribery, corruption and nepotism are well-known issues in connection with concession licences. The intent of this indicator is to avoid risk related to situations where organisations are obtaining concession licences via illegal means such as bribery, or where organisations or entities that are not eligible to hold such rights do so via illegal means. Risk in this indicator relates to situations where due process has not been followed and the concession rights can therefore be considered to be illegally issued. The level of corruption in the country or sub-national region is considered to play an important role and corruption indicators (e.g., Corruption Perception Index, CPI) should therefore be considered when evaluating risks.

1.1. Land tenure and management rights

1. Controlled Wood Category 1 – Legality, 1.1. Land tenure and management rights

Legislation covering land tenure rights, including customary rights as well as management rights that includes the use of legal methods to obtain tenure rights and management rights. It also covers legal business registration and tax registration, including relevant legal required licences. Risk may be encountered where land rights have not been issued according to prevailing regulations and where corruption has been involved in the process of issuing land tenure and management rights. The intent of this indicator is to ensure that any land tenure and management rights have been issued according to the legislation