Citing an increased demand by the country's growing timber industry-and, no doubt, a result of frequent problems with illegal logging (see here)-Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has opened a subsidiary in Jakarta, Indonesia, for certification and verification of the country's forest products industry. The subsidiary, PT Scientific Certification Systems Indonesia, now offers Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management and Chain of Custody Certification in Indonesia.
According to a report by the European Union, Indonesian timber exports grew from $7.3 billion in 2005 to $9.7 billion in 2010. However, a 2007 United Nations report estimated that up to 88 percent of timber logged in Indonesia was illegally sourced, putting timber importers at risk of unknowingly trafficking illegal timber, which is now punishable in the U.S. under the Lacey Act.
"Having a full-time presence in Indonesia will allow us to serve clients quickly and effectively," said Dr. Robert Hrubes, senior vice president of SCS. "We are excited to expand into a market in which the added transparency of certification will have a large positive impact on a critical resource."
SCS will also offer forest carbon offset verification in Indonesia.
Loy Jones, a forester with 16 years of experience working with FSC certification, has been named interim director of the subsidiary.
