Certification on the sustainable management of the Basque forests

Abstract

The Autonomous Community of the Basque Country comprises three provinces with an area of 7,223 km2 where forest covers 61% of the land. The forest sector has a promising future, however, the increasing social awareness of the ecological impact of fast growing forest tree species is leading to demands for multi-functional forest use. Thus future markets will undoubtedly demand a certification that guaranties to the consumer that wood has originated from forests managed with ecological care and social responsibility. This paper gives some point of views and raises issues about the certification in the context of Basque forest and the European trade.