1. Background and Purpose 2. Use of the certification standard 3. Structure of the certification standard 4. Procedures for use of the certification standard 5. Interpretation and revision of the certification standard

6.1 Protection of rare species, habitats and natural resources 6.2 Maintenance of biodiversity and ecological functions 6.3 Conservation of semi-natural woodlands and plantations on ancient woodland sites 6.4 Game management

7.1 Consultation 7.2 Woodland access and recreation including traditional and permissive use rights 7.3 Rural economy 7.4 Minimising adverse impacts

8. Forestry workforce

8.1 Health and safety 8.2 Training and continuing development 8.3 Workers’ rights 8.4 Insurance

Glossary of Terms Appendix: References

Key

The following abbreviations have been used throughout the text to highlight sources of additional information. More info.

Managment
Planning

Biodiversity
Action Plan

Forest
Reproductive
Material
Regulations

References

Management planning

2.3Implementation and revision of the plan
2.3.1	Requirement The implementation of the work shall be in close agreement with the details included in the management planning documentation. Any deviation from prescription or planned rate of progress shall be justified, overall objectives shall still be achieved and the ecological integrity of the woodland maintained. Means of verification Cross-correlation between the management planning documentation, annual work programmes and operations seen on the ground Owner’s/manager’s familiarity with the management planning documentation and woodland Documentation or owner’s/manager’s explanation of any deviation.	Guidance Changes in planned timing of operations should be such that they do not jeopardise the ecological integrity of the woodland in the long term. Changes in planned timing may be justified on economic grounds if overall management practices continue to conform to the other requirements of this certification standard. Refer to section 3.4.1 for information about thinning, felling and regeneration plans.
2.3.2	Requirement The owner/manager shall consider what information to collect and record in order to monitor progress towards their management objectives and conformance to the requirements of this certification standard. A monitoring programme shall be implemented. Information shall be collected appropriate to the scale and intensity of management. Monitoring procedures shall be consistent and replicable over time to allow comparison of results and assessment of change. As a minimum the following shall be monitored: Economic, environmental and social aspects Harvesting yield Woodland composition and structure Flora and fauna (e.g. those in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan). Means of verification Non-SLIM woodlands: A documented plan for monitoring to be undertaken consistent with management objectives and baseline information. SLIM woodlands: Evidence of the owner’s/manager’s knowledge of the woodland; a pro-active approach to field observation and field notes, supplemented by available maps and reports, may be sufficient.	Guidance Monitoring should consist of a combination of: Supervision during operations Regular management visits and systematic collection of information Long-term studies, where appropriate, particularly on changes to the woodland ecosystem. Information from studies (particularly research programmes) carried out at one site can be extrapolated and the results used to assist management of other similar sites. For more complex long-term studies it is often more important for woodland owners/managers to be aware of the results and conclusions of such studies than to try to replicate them in their own woodland. Detail of information collected should be appropriate to the: Size of the enterprise Intensity of operations Objectives of management Sensitivity of the site. Monitoring should include means to identify any significant changes, i.e. those likely to have sufficient impact to alter existing ecosystems or endanger the flora and fauna present, in particular any rare species.
2.3.3	Requirement Monitoring records shall be kept and be in a form which ensures that they are of use over the long term. Means of verification All woodlands: Documented monitoring records Information from studies in similar woodlands Analysis of information collected. SLIM woodlands: Field notes based on the owner’s/manager’s observation of the woodland may be sufficient.
2.3.4	Requirement Monitoring data shall be analysed and the findings taken into account by management, particularly during revision of the management planning documentation. Means of verification Monitoring records Management planning documentation Discussions with owner/manager.	Guidance Expert advice should be sought where necessary and taken into account.
2.3.5	Requirement For areas and features of particular significance, as identified under section 6.1.1, periodic monitoring shall be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the measures employed to maintain or enhance these areas. Means of verification Non-SLIM woodlands: Monitoring records Management planning documentation. SLIM woodlands: Discussions with owner/manager.	Guidance The frequency and intensity of monitoring should be appropriate to the assessed threat to the conservation value of the site over the period of the plan. The frequency of monitoring might range from daily during management activities to monthly, annually or longer.
2.3.6	Requirement A summary of monitoring results shall be produced, as a minimum, at the end of each five-year period and made publicly available if requested. Means of verification A copy of the summary Evidence of response to requests.	Guidance The summary should include information on work completed and other major changes in the woodland. A summary of the main information collected should be made available to any interested party who asks for it. The owner/manager may make a charge to recover the cost of making the summary available. Sensitive data e.g. sites of species protected by law and confidential commercial information can be kept confidential. For SLIM woodlands, the public summary should be made available for inspection locally on request.

2.3Implementation and revision of the plan

2.3.1

Requirement

The implementation of the work shall be in close agreement with the details included in the management planning documentation. Any deviation from prescription or planned rate of progress shall be justified, overall objectives shall still be achieved and the ecological integrity of the woodland maintained.

Means of verification

Cross-correlation between the management planning documentation, annual work programmes and operations seen on the ground
Owner’s/manager’s familiarity with the management planning documentation and woodland
Documentation or owner’s/manager’s explanation of any deviation.

Guidance

Changes in planned timing of operations should be such that they do not jeopardise the ecological integrity of the woodland in the long term.

Changes in planned timing may be justified on economic grounds if overall management practices continue to conform to the other requirements of this certification standard.

Refer to section 3.4.1 for information about thinning, felling and regeneration plans.

2.3.2

Requirement

The owner/manager shall consider what information to collect and record in order to monitor progress towards their management objectives and conformance to the requirements of this certification standard. A monitoring programme shall be implemented. Information shall be collected appropriate to the scale and intensity of management.
Monitoring procedures shall be consistent and replicable over time to allow comparison of results and assessment of change.
As a minimum the following shall be monitored:
- Economic, environmental and social aspects
- Harvesting yield
- Woodland composition and structure
- Flora and fauna (e.g. those in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan).

Means of verification

Non-SLIM woodlands:

A documented plan for monitoring to be undertaken consistent with management objectives and baseline information.

SLIM woodlands:

Evidence of the owner’s/manager’s knowledge of the woodland; a pro-active approach to field observation and field notes, supplemented by available maps and reports, may be sufficient.

Guidance

Monitoring should consist of a combination of:

Supervision during operations
Regular management visits and systematic collection of information
Long-term studies, where appropriate, particularly on changes to the woodland ecosystem. Information from studies (particularly research programmes) carried out at one site can be extrapolated and the results used to assist management of other similar sites. For more complex long-term studies it is often more important for woodland owners/managers to be aware of the results and conclusions of such studies than to try to replicate them in their own woodland.

Detail of information collected should be appropriate to the:

Size of the enterprise
Intensity of operations
Objectives of management
Sensitivity of the site.

Monitoring should include means to identify any significant changes, i.e. those likely to have sufficient impact to alter existing ecosystems or endanger the flora and fauna present, in particular any rare species.

2.3.3

Requirement

Monitoring records shall be kept and be in a form which ensures that they are of use over the long term.

Means of verification

All woodlands:

Documented monitoring records
Information from studies in similar woodlands
Analysis of information collected.

SLIM woodlands:

Field notes based on the owner’s/manager’s observation of the woodland may be sufficient.

2.3.4

Requirement

Monitoring data shall be analysed and the findings taken into account by management, particularly during revision of the management planning documentation.

Means of verification

Monitoring records
Management planning documentation
Discussions with owner/manager.

Guidance

Expert advice should be sought where necessary and taken into account.

2.3.5

Requirement

For areas and features of particular significance, as identified under section 6.1.1, periodic monitoring shall be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the measures employed to maintain or enhance these areas.

Means of verification

Non-SLIM woodlands:

Monitoring records
Management planning documentation.

SLIM woodlands:

Discussions with owner/manager.

Guidance

The frequency and intensity of monitoring should be appropriate to the assessed threat to the conservation value of the site over the period of the plan.

The frequency of monitoring might range from daily during management activities to monthly, annually or longer.

2.3.6

Requirement

A summary of monitoring results shall be produced, as a minimum, at the end of each five-year period and made publicly available if requested.

Means of verification

A copy of the summary
Evidence of response to requests.

Guidance

The summary should include information on work completed and other major changes in the woodland.

A summary of the main information collected should be made available to any interested party who asks for it. The owner/manager may make a charge to recover the cost of making the summary available.

Sensitive data e.g. sites of species protected by law and confidential commercial information can be kept confidential.

For SLIM woodlands, the public summary should be made available for inspection locally on request.