Registration to this national standard is a very large undertaking for any forest management operation. Registered organizations have engaged in a rigorous public participation process and have established and maintained a management system to continually improve their forest management performance towards sustainable forest management criteria.
High Degree of Public Involvement
CAN/CSA Z809 requires organizations to seek comprehensive, continuing public participation and to work with Aboriginal peoples at a local level. The public identifies forest values of specific importance to environmental, social, and economic concerns and needs. The public also takes part in the forest planning process and works with the organization to identify and select SFM objectives, indicators and targets to ensure that these values are addressed.
The CAN/CSA Z809 Performance Requirements
The requirements of CAN/CSA Z809 are defined by the CCFM SFM criteria. The CAN/CSA Z809 standard's use of the CCFM SFM criteria and elements as a framework for value identification provides vital links between local SFM and provincial-scale forest policy. The organization is required to work closely with the public to identify local values, objectives, indicators, and targets that reflect the national criteria and incorporate them into forest management planning and practices. Decisions are made together with the public during this process.
Consistency with ISO 14001
CAN/CSA Z809 is consistent with the internationally-recognized ISO 14001 environmental management system standard. It is essential to have a management system that can assure the fulfillment of all the CAN/CSA Z809 SFM requirements.
Forecasting and the Future of the Forest
Ensuring the continuance of values associated with forests, forecasting the effects of forest management operations and practices is fundamental to the CAN/CSA Z809 standard. This forecasting, which must be specified in the management plan, along with the functional bases for making the forecasts, is a key requirement and also involves public participation.
Continual Improvement
The concept of continual improvement in SFM is central to CAN/CSA Z809. The standard uses adaptive management procedures that recognize SFM as a dynamic process that must incorporate new knowledge acquired through time, experience, and research, and that must also evolve with society's changing environmental, social, and economic values. The CAN/CSA Z809 standard requires the organization to undertake an annual review of all requirements, including those of performance, to identify areas for continual improvement.
CAN/CSA Z809 audits conducted by QMI – SAI Global are performed by registered foresters and environmental science professionals who are certified environmental management systems lead auditors, certified environmental auditors and certified environmental auditors (Sustainable Forest Management) accredited by the Canadian Environmental Auditing Association (CEAA).
