Forest Certification is a tool that was developed to promote sustainable and ecologically responsible forest management, and has gained considerable popularity over the past several decades. Though certification schemes differ, most require adhering to a set of forest management principles, having a detailed management plan, submitting regular updates to the certifying body, and agreeing to periodic site audits by a third party.
The most common schemes used in Canada, and Nova Scotia in particular, are governed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). For small private woodlots in the province, the relevant certification schemes are FSC SLIMF and CSA Z804, and there exist several certifying bodies through which a woodlot owner could certify his/her woodland.
| Services: |
8 |
| Counties: |
Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens, Lunenburg, Kings, Hants, Digby, Annapolis |
| Lot Sizes: |
over 10 acres, 5 to 10 acres, under 5 acres |
| Services: |
13 |
| Counties: |
Richmond, Pictou, Inverness, Hants, Halifax, Guysborough, Cumberland, Colchester, Antigonish |
| Lot Sizes: |
over 10 acres, 5 to 10 acres, under 5 acres |
| Services: |
4 |
| Counties: |
Cumberland, Colchester, Cape Breton, Antigonish, Annapolis, Pictou, Lunenburg, Kings, Inverness, Hants, Halifax, Guysborough, Digby, Yarmouth, Victoria, Shelburne, Richmond, Queens |
| Lot Sizes: |
over 10 acres, 5 to 10 acres, under 5 acres |
| Services: |
24 |
| Counties: |
Cumberland, Colchester |
| Lot Sizes: |
over 10 acres, 5 to 10 acres, under 5 acres |
| Services: |
8 |
| Counties: |
Pictou, Halifax, Cumberland, Colchester |
| Lot Sizes: |
over 10 acres |