Corrective Actions – your responsibilities

In recent months there have been an increasing number of instances of delays in dealing with corrective actions.  Sending reminders increases the admin.workload of UKFCG and has led to minor CARs being elevated to Major status.  Further delays at this stage could lead to suspension of certification – you can help us by making sure this does not happen to you.

  • If we issue a CAR, the main purpose is to help you remain compliant with UKWAS and FSC/PEFC requirements.
  • If we ask for something new, it is most likely a reaction to scrutiny we have noticed from Soil Association.
  • Do not delay – Deal with it straight away!

Use of snares in Scotland. 

UKWAS 4.9.1 REQUIREMENT Game rearing and release, shooting and fishing shall be 

Carried out in accordance with the spirit of codes of practice produced by relevant organisations.

EXAMPLE VERIFIERS › Field observation › Relevant permissions and leases › Discussion with the owner/manager/responsible person demonstrates awareness of the law and good practice › Discussion with interested parties › Permissions from statutory bodies where these are required › Membership of sporting and conservation organisation.

What you need to know

All snares must be free-running and have a fixed stop at the appropriate distance.

All set snares must be checked every day at intervals of no more than 24 hours.

All set snares must be staked to the ground or attached to an object to prevent the snare from being dragged.

Snares must not be set where an animal caught by the snare may become fully or partially suspended or drown.

Anyone wishing to set snares must be accredited and also have their operator ID number.

Anyone who passed the accreditation course prior to May 2010 will need to contact their accreditation body and request a new certificate before applying for their operator ID number.

Tags featuring the ID number will need to be fitted to snares.

Snare operators will be obliged to keep snaring records.

Full details can be downloaded from the link below.

Snaring in Scotland – A Practitioners’ Guide

Forest managers of FSC/PEFC certified sites are asked to ensure that any gamekeeping activity involving use of snares within the forest curtilage is compliant with the above.

TIMBER STACKS – A Gentle Reminder! 

Limits on timber stack heights has been covered in numerous earlier newsletters and UKFCG’s Briefing Note on the subject – but it keeps cropping up on UKFCG surveillance audits, and we have received Soil Association issued non-Conformities for overheight timber stacks for the last two years – and now elevated to Major NC status.

This is easy to deal with – If you have any timber stacks with height exceeding the length of the product, a site-specific risk assessment for over height timber stacks must be in place and signed by all forwarder operators on site.  Maximum height is determined by the road haulier being able to see over the top of the timber stack from the crane.

UKFCG will require copies of the signed risk assessments during surveillance audits

UKWAS 5.4.1 requires compliance with FISA Guides [FISA Guide 503 – Extraction by Forwarder, 504 – Extraction by Cable Crane and FISA Forest Haulage Safety Manual relate to timber stacks] Please do not let the Group down.

UKFCG’s Briefing Note on the subject of Timber Stacks is available on request.

UKWAS v5 – Coming Soon  

Non-toxic ammunition and game release pens.

We will notify all members with details of any changes that should be implemented, in the meantime we have provided the following information to several UKFCG members regarding the use of non-toxic ammunition and game release pens.

Non-toxic ammunition.  This requirement appears in UKWAS v5 sections 2.12.1.b) for deer control and 4.10.3.a) for all shooting activities.  There is an exemption for 0.22 calibre ammunition until the end of 2025 for grey squirrel control.

New Game release pens will not be permitted in High Conservation Value areas, this includes SSSI, ASNW, PAWS. 

Existing game-release pens in areas of high conservation value are not used after the end of 2025 and should be removed.

In our opinion there may be some room for interpretation of this requirement in respect of PAWS areas.  A PAWS assessment should be carried out (this is an existing requirement).  If the assessment found no surviving features of high conservation value, the presence of release pens in PAWS areas with no HCVs could be acceptable – but this is tenuous!

In practice we expect a 12-month transition period following the launch of v5.  If we find non-compliance during the next surveillance audit of any certified forest and within the transition period, we will raise a Corrective Action with up to 12 months to be closed.  For instance, if the next UKFCG audit is carried out in the first few months of 2024, a corrective action on the above subjects would run to early 2025.  If the CAR was not dealt with, it would be upgraded to a Major CAR with a further 3 months to be closed.  If a Major CAR is not closed, this would result in suspension of certification.  We hope this would give a little more flexibility on timescales.

Please note the above requirements are only applicable to areas of land that are within the curtilage of the certified area.

We understand that, in due course, a lead ban is likely to be implemented throughout the UK.  This will apply to everyone, irrespective of certification.  We do not have dates for this and believe there is an ongoing consultation.  We will provide further information on this subject as soon as it is available.

If you require any further clarification, please contact UKFCG.

FISA 707 – Roundwood in Ports

Shipping of roundwood has steadily increased over the last 18 months, not least with the storm Arwen clear up in NE Scotland. Many ports previously unused for timber for many years, and floating piers, are now being utilised for multi modal shipping of timber and it was pertinent for FISA to engage with this sector to create a base guidance document that can be referenced by ports and hauliers / suppliers.

FISA Safety Guide 707 has been developed by those within the forest industry who are transporting roundwood by sea. FISA 707 provides general advice on working within ports through to loading and unloading at the quayside and loading and discharging timber vessels. Helpfully to those not acquainted with transporting roundwood through ports, an appendix is provided giving definitions and health and safety roles and responsibilities.

Welcome to new members who have recently joined UKFCG

  • Balmore Woo
  • Cullinlongar
  • Lewenshope Forest
  • Andrew Raven Ardtornish
  • Resipole
  • Whiteknowe
  • Saughtree and Thorlieshope
  • Delnabo Estate