File photo.
One of the world's largest certifiers of responsible forests is cracking down on risky work in erosion-prone forests, which could affect smaller plantation growers.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was working to reduce health and safety risks in forests that were not certified under its programme, but supplied what was known as "controlled" wood into mixed class products.
The Germany-based organisation's strict certification aimed to prevent illegal harvesting, human rights violations, to reject the use of genetically-modified organisms and protect conservation values.
The FSC label found on paper or wood products aimed to assure shoppers that the forests where the wood came from were sustainably managed.
