Responsible Timber Harvesting and Beekeeping Thrive in Galicia, Spain Forest Certified under Forest Stewardship Council Standard

The Tenzas Forest in Gallatia, Spain, has earned certification as a responsibly managed forest under the prestigious Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard, based on an independent assessment conducted by SCS Global Services (SCS). Under a unique, collaborative management enterprise, timber management and harvesting, beekeeping, and cattle production are flourishing side-by-side to support local communities, ecosystems and biodiversity.

“The Tenzas forest is an inspiring model of collaboration in which landowners have rallied together around common goals and shared interests to protect natural resources and support the livelihood of the community,” said Dr. Robert Hrubes, Executive Vice President of SCS Global Services.

“The environmental, social and economic achievements recognized under the FSC certification demonstrate the enormous value that stakeholder collaboration can bring to protecting a region and its resources,” added Noemi Garcia Saavedra, founder of the Tenzas initiative, which manages several business ventures on the site.

In 2010, Ms. Garcia Saavedra recognized the opportunity to build a cooperative framework within the forested region, centered on responsible forestry practices.This framework was developed in part to reinforce jobs in the midst of Spain’s economic difficulties, in an area with an unemployment rate of over 15%, according to the Bank of Spain.

“The complexity of the Tenzas forest cooperative model is its strength,” said Jaime Rodrigo Poch, Director of CGN Certification and SCS affiliate in Spain. “The high level of coordination among stakeholders is what makes this forest thrive.”

The 378-hectare Tenzas forest yields steady streams of lumber to support the local economy. Tenzas splits the land into areas used for cultivating oak and eucalyptus, and parcels designated for conservation. In cultivated areas, the forest managers maintain an understory of native plant species, which boosts biodiversity, preserves habitats and precludes the need for pesticides.

Galicia is located in Spain’s heavily forested northwest region, the epicenter of its forestry industry. The temperate forests of Galicia are rich in history and biodiversity; one can stumble upon medieval ruins tucked into the hills as well as multiple species of bears, wolves, birds and foxes. For more than 50 years, the Spanish government has been supporting reforestation efforts aimed at protecting soil and preventing erosion. The Tenzas forest certification meets these longstanding national policy goals.

SCS Global Services (SCS) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for nearly three decades. Its programs span a wide cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, retail, and more.; SCS provides accredited services under a wide range of internationally recognized certification programs.