The consultation is open from Friday, 16 January to Sunday, 8 February.
Formal interpretations are used to clarify ambiguities in FSC’s normative requirements. In 2025, an FSC-accredited certification body submitted a request to FSC International seeking clarification on the application of Indicators 10.1.1 and 10.1.2 where a plantation of native species is harvested and proposed to be re-established with an exotic species.
In response, FSC International developed a draft interpretation that was open for public consultation from June 6 to July 18, 2025.
Following the consultation period, it was determined that the Australian Standards Development Group (SDG), which is currently revising the NFSS, is best positioned to develop a second draft of the interpretation. The SDG has now prepared this based on feedback from the consultation and invites further input from stakeholders.
The SDG will meet after the consultation window closes to review submissions and determine whether further amendments to the interpretation are required. If no substantive changes are identified, the interpretation will be submitted to the FSC ANZ Board for review and approval, followed by submission to FSC International for final approval and publication. Once published, the interpretation will become normative.
We encourage interested stakeholders to visit the Consultation Platform and provide their feedback before Sunday, 8 February.
Please note that, to be considered, feedback should be submitted via the Consultation Platform.