26/01/2005 – The European
Union and US are the major markets for Java
teak furniture, and increasingly demand
certified products ensuring the wood is
sourced in an ecologically responsible way.
Many furniture industries in Java have reacted
to the demand and obtained the required
certification. However, these industries
are unable to source certified wood from
Java. Therefore several furniture industries
are now importing teak from other countries
such as Brazil to meet demands.
Within this context WWF has been working
to promote Sustainable Forest Management
in Java with local stakeholders. To help
meet the challenges faced by supporters
and practitioners of responsible forestry,
WWF set up the Global Forest and Trade Network
(GFTN) to facilitate trade links between
companies committed to achieving and supporting
responsible forestry. GFTN creates market
conditions that help conserve the world’s
forests while providing economic and social
benefits for the business and people that
depend on them.
P.T. Bangun Sarana Wreksa, a furniture
factory in Malang (East-Java, Indonesia)
has decided to try a new approach to fulfill
the market demand by becoming the first
company to join Nusa Hijau membership, which
was marked by the signing of the MoU between
the company and WWF-Indonesia.
P.T. Bangun Sarana Wreksa is currently
sourcing wood from PERHUTANI. Currently,
PERHUTANI is collaborating with Nusa Hijau
to improve their Forest Management System
to eventually meet certification standards,
within a maximum time period of 5 years.
Pierre Dermawan, Director of PT Bangun
Sarana Wreksa, explains: ‘Our company is
strongly committed to sustainably manage
forest resources. In order to fulfill the
increasing market demand, we have to provide
certified forest products. By joining Nusa
Hijau we obtain the assistance in selecting
credible sources and gain access to the
global market.”
Nurcahyo Adi, Coordinator of Nusa Hijau,
WWF-Indonesia clarifies: ‘This is a new
dawn for the furniture industry in Java
specifically and Indonesia generally. Nusa
Hijau provides the opportunity to work closely
with an extensive network of market groups
all over the world.’ This network, the Global
Forest Trade Network (GFTN), is a tool to
link market demands to producers and assist
the latter in becoming certified. In short,
Nusa Hijau is a practical attempt at meeting
the demand for sustainable timber from Indonesia.
The GFTN is an initiative that promotes
partnership between non-governmental organizations
and companies to improve the quality of
forest management. The GFTN currently consists
of 18 local Forest and Trade Networks in
30 countries, consisting of over 800 members,
mainly in Europe and North America. By joining
the network, members can enjoy several benefits
such as: information and training on certification,
links to markets for certified forest products,
small-scale and community forest enterprises,
policy advocacy with government, and for
GFTN and their members.
Nusa Hijau is the Indonesian Forest and
Trade Network within the GFTN and is administered
as a programme of WWF-Indonesia. Participation
is open to forest managers, wood processors,
forest products traders, specifiers and
end-users operating in Indonesia. Participants
must meet and comply with the Nusa Hijau
conditions of participation and enter a
participation agreement with WWF-Indonesia.
