The beginning of a formal process to review and, if thought necessary, revise the UKWAS certification standard was announced on 1 July by the UKWAS steering group.
The current 4th edition of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard, known as UKWAS 4, has been in effect since 1 April 2018 and in accordance with the UKWAS procedures, it is reviewed on a 5-yearly basis.
An independent multi-stakeholder working group chaired by Peter Wilson FICFor will take forward the initial review phase to determine whether a full revision is necessary. A decision on whether to continue to a revision phase will be made towards the end of this year. If so, the working group will take forward the revision with the objective of a new UKWAS 5 version of the standard being in effect from 1 April 2023.
UKWAS chair, Richard Howe MICFor, said: “The review process starts with an evidence gathering period and we are now asking standard-users and stakeholders from across the UK forestry community and beyond to help us by submitting their initial thoughts and recommendations to the working group by the end of August.
“We will be initiating a series of reviews to collect evidence over the next few months but we are particularly keen to hear from standard-users and stakeholders from the outset. We also plan two formal consultations during 2021 if we move to a full revision of the standard.”
We are strongly encouraging members to get involved. Standard-users and stakeholders must submit their input by 31 August to ukwas@ukwas.org.uk – please include a few lines about yourself so that the UKWAS can get a better understanding of the composition of respondents.
You can find a detailed step-by-step UKWAS review and revision plan & timetable document which includes each phase, here.
