CLIMATE MITIGATION – AFFORESTATION

3.1.          In accordance with national law, the forest status of the area in which the activity takes place is guaranteed by one of the following measures:

3.1 (a)      the area is classified in the permanent forest estate as defined by the FAO (11);

Afforested lands become part of an organization's forest inventory and are managed in accordance with all the requirements of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard.

3.1 (b)      the area is classified as a protected area;

Afforested lands become part of an organization's forest inventory and are managed in accordance with all the requirements of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard.

3.1 (c)      the area is the subject of any legal or contractual guarantee ensuring that it will remain a forest.

Afforested lands become part of an organization's forest inventory and are managed in accordance with all the requirements of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard.

3.2. In accordance with national law, the operator of the activity commits that future updates to the afford­ estation plan and the subsequent forest management plan or equivalent instrument, beyond the activity that is financed, will continue to seek the climate benefits as determined in point 2. Besides, the operator of the activity commits to compensate any reduction in the climate benefit determined in point 2 with an equivalent climate benefit resulting from the conduct of an activity that corresponds to one of the forestry activities defined in this Regulation.

Afforested lands become part of an organization's forest inventory and are managed in accordance with all the requirements of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard.

Pollution prevention and control. The use of pesticides is reduced and alternative approaches or techniques, which may include non-chemical alternatives to pesticides, are favored, in accordance with Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (13), with exception of occasions where the use of pesticides is needed to control outbreaks of pests and of diseases.

Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

The activity minimizes the use of fertilizers and does not use manure. The activity complies with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (14) or national rules on fertilizers or soil improvers for agricultural use.

Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

Indicator 1. Pest management shall be implemented through the use of integrated pest management.

Indicator 2. Minimized chemical use required to achieve management objectives.

Well documented and verifiable measures are taken to avoid the use of active ingredients that are listed in Annex I, part A, of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (15) of the European Parliament and of the Council (16), the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade (17), the Minamata Convention on Mercury (18), the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (19), and of active ingredients that are listed as classification Ia (‘extremely hazardous’) or Ib (‘highly hazardous’) in the WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard (20). The activity complies with the relevant national law on active ingredients.

Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

Indicator 4. Use of pesticides registered for the intended use and applied in accordance with label requirements.

Indicator 5. The World Health Organization (WHO) type 1A and 1B pesticides shall be prohibited, except where no other viable alternative is available.

Indicator 6. Use of pesticides banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001) shall be prohibited.

Pollution of water and soil is prevented and cleaning up measures are undertaken when pollution occurs.

Performance Measure 11.1. Certified Organizations shall comply with applicable federal, provincial, state, and local forestry and environmental laws and regulations.

Indicator 1. Access to relevant laws and regulations.

Indicator 2. System to achieve compliance with applicable federal, provincial, state, or local laws, and regulations.

Indicator 3. Demonstration of commitment to legal compliance through available regulatory action information.