PT Gema Hutani Lestari becomes the latest FSC success story…

PT Gema Hutani Lestari becomes the latest FSC success story

PT. Gema Hutani Lestari

November brings news of another certification success, this time from the Malucuan island of Pulau Buru. The timber concession company of PT Gema Hutani Lestari (GHL), a long standing collaborator with TFF, announced on November 20th that it had achieved full certification status under the FSC certification scheme. GHL is a 148,450 natural forest concession straddling the island of Pulau Buru in South Malucu. The concession ships all of its production to Makasar in South Sulawesi, the location of the company’s industry, PT Katingan Timber Celebes (KTC). The certification of GHL by Woodmark Soil Association, brings to 8 concessions that TFF has assisted to achieve full FSC certification since the beginning of The Borneo Initiative certification support program January 2010. Other TFF assisted successes in FSC certification this year include:

• Cloudy Bay Sustainable Forestry Ltd. On June 1st, 2013 TFF received confirmation that the Papua New Guinea forest management company of Cloudy Bay Sustainable Forestry Ltd., was awarded the FSC certificate of sustainable forest management.                      Even though it’s a long way from Borneo, Cloudy Bay was accepted into The Borneo Initiative (TBI) certification support program in November 2012 with TFF acting as the company’s certification coach. This 148,900 ha concession becomes the third forest management unit to be certified in Papua New Guinea.

• PT Indexim Utama We closed the month of June, 2013 with the announcement that PT Indexim Utama, a 52,480 ha concession in Central Kalimantan, has achieved full FSC certification. Indexim has had a relationship with TFF for many years and has gradually built up its management abilities and confidence to the point where it was prepared to commit to the certification process by joining TBI in June 2010 under TFF sponsorship. Indexim is one of two adjacent concessions belonging to the Surya Strya Timur Group which operates a plywood factory in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Forest Concessions supported by The Borneo Initiative