Taan Forest achieves FSC certification for 358,100 ha. of forestland on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, with annual harvest of 520,000 m3

Wendy Lisney

VANCOUVER, British Columbia , November 9, 2011 (press release) – Taan Forest has successfully achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for all of its forestry and harvesting operations on Haida Gwaii, BC.

Taan Forest, a subsidiary of Haida Enterprise Corporation (HaiCo), completed a series of assessments and reports over the last year led by the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood program. The areas covered under FSC certification include Tree Farm Licence 60 and the Haida Woodlands Tenure on Moresby and Graham Islands, representing a total area of 358,100 hectares with an annual harvest of 520,000m3.

"Taan Forest has been on the leading edge of sustainable harvesting and forestry practices with its new approaches that meet the stringent objectives of the Haida Gwaii Strategic Land Use Agreement," said Bob Brash, President of Taan Forest. "The Haida Nation's special relationship with their forests and environment is well known. We are extremely pleased that stringent independent audits under the world's preeminent Forest Stewardship Council standards confirmed as such."

"Taan Forest was able to achieve FSC certification in just 11 months, illustrating its strong commitment to adopting the highest social and environmental standards," said Krista West, Forest Management Coordinator at the Rainforest Alliance. "This achievement sets a shining example to the forestry community in BC and Canada, demonstrating that FSC certification is within practical reach."

"This investment by the Haida people in achieving FSC Certification is a big step forward for Taan Forest," continued Brash. "We can now leverage some of the world's best tree growing lands and renowned wood products together with FSC certification to provide our customers with the real assurances they need to confirm their products come from sustainably managed sources."

"This achievement by Taan Forest is part of the overall strategic plan of HaiCo and the Haida Nation to set the foundation for real business opportunities and real growth to create long term benefits for Haida Gwaii," said Thomas Olsen, Managing Director of HaiCo. "FSC certification will allow local businesses to create the products demanded globally by increasingly environmentally conscious businesses and individuals."

"Change starts with us and the way we approach forestry," said Guujaaw, President of the Haida Nation. "We know that we can maintain our culture, respect nature, and still derive a livelihood from the forests."

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