How Local Authorities can help protect forests

Detail of Horsham Sports Hall, UK. Made with FSC wood.

The influence of Local Authorities is often underestimated when global problems are raised, though they can play an important role.

Vital players
Local Authorities construct, operate and maintain economic, social and environmental infrastructure, oversee planning processes and establish local environmental policies and regulations.

They also assist in implementing national and regional environmental policies, while being close to the people, they play a vital role in educating and mobilising the public and responding to community concerns.

Therefore, Local Authorities - large or small - are important players for putting sustainable development into practice.

As outlined in Agenda 21, Local Authorities have several ways and means at their disposal to work towards sustainable development.

Key role of Local Authorities
As a consumer of forest products, Local Authorities should take responsibility for ensuring that they have a neutral if not positive effect on the world's forests. By choosing a credible certification scheme such as FSC certified timber products, Local Authorities have the guarantee that the products are derived from well managed sources and that they contribute to responsible forest management world-wide.

Local Authorities that have taken the right steps
Several Local Authorities throughout Europe have already successfully used FSC certified wood for public works, these include:

Limburg Province, Edegem (Belgium),

Gouda, Uithoorn, Rotterdam, Lelystad (The Netherlands),

Oranienburg, Greiffenberg (Germany),

Horsham (UK),

Barcelona, Huelva (Spain),

Håbo (Sweden)

and many more...

More information about their projects can be found in the country fact sheets in the brochure Local Authorities can make a difference!.

The reason that we decided on FSC certification for the forests of Huddinge municipality can be summarised as follows:

FSC is a credible trademark; it fits the profile of an Eco municipality, it gives a clear signal of responsibility, it unites diverse aims in forest management, it has given us and excellent forest management plan, it gives new weight to forest ownership of municipalities close to populated areas, it makes the municipality a good example.

Lars Heins, Environmental Head of Huddinge Municipality, Sweden, 2001