Taman Wijaya ready to sell timber legally

JAKARTA: Community wood cooperative KSU Taman Wijaya Rasa in Kebumen, Central Java, has obtained a sustainable forest management certificate to ensure that timber felled from audited forests is legally logged.

Audited under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme, the cooperative, whose development program is facilitated by the Tropical Forest Trust (TFT), is expected to be immediately eligible to sell FSC-certified mahogany, and hopes for higher market "appreciation", the cooperative said Wednesday in a media statement.

Cooperative chairman Sunarto said he was "glad" about securing the certificate "in recognition of our long struggle and weary toil".

Cooperative secretary Marsino said the certification would mean greater responsibility "because we need to maintain it". - JP