Completed Projects

Conducted an Initial Project Scoping Evaluation under Stage 1 of the GFS Forest Carbon Services to identify suitable FTL License areas for Improved Forest Management and LPF License areas for Avoided Deforestation and Planned Conversion. A key objective was to provide a fundamental estimate of the potential revenue that IFM / LPF licenses may receive based on the estimated land area available for a carbon project with basic assumptions of volumes translated to potential metric tons of CO2e stock that may provide carbon offset revenues.

GFS & Ata Marie conducted a pre-feasibility / due diligence evaluation for Marudi (LPF 0008) based on requirements of the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) for generation of saleable carbon units (VCUs: Verified Carbon Units) and CCB (Climate, Community and Biodiversity Project Design Standards) to support “credibility” of the project managed under the Verra Program now based in the USA. Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) are fully accredited and traded carbon credits sourced from projects worldwide. The VCS/ CCB Standard is among the most widely used quality assurance systems for accounting for forestry GHG emissions reductions.

GFS provided support for management planning and operational system for developing a plantation on 6,000 ha in Sabah, Malaysia, to meet the requirements for certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Principles & Criteria. In addition, GFS supported Forest Solutions Malaysia to establish a long-term Forest Management Plan, assessments for HCV and social issues, and formalized procedures for all key plantation operations and associated activities.

The company received FSC Certification (FSC-C167381)

GFS supported the revision of the Country Profile for Malaysia for the EU Timber Trade Federation Timber Trade Portal.  The Profile described in detail the regulatory system for forest management over Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah & Sarawak.

The Profile defined forest production areas and the timber trade industry in each region along with the status of Forest Certification and Legality Due Diligence Systems in operation.

GFS conducted independent monitoring for Reduced Impact Logging & Legal Compliance with the Sabah Timber Legality Standard P1-6 for all licensed forests, manufacturing, trade, and export companies.

GFS conducted monthly field assessments to verify the compliance of forest management & operations to the Sabah TLAS Legal Standard (Principles 1-4).

GFS also monitored Legal Compliance for all manufacturing, trade & export companies (Principles 5-6) and Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) for current harvesting operations.

GFS supported the CFIP & PWPA to develop a Due Diligence System for the Philippine timber industry to demonstrate compliance to regulations that includes an independent auditing system to monitor compliance by the Timber Associations of the Philippines. The Due Diligence System sets out both a framework for the Philippine Industry & Trade to follow in regards to the Chain of Custody system in the form of procedures integrated with a formal monitoring procedure that the timber associations can manage check implementation by its’ members.

The Due Diligence System for the Philippine Timber Association consists of 3 main elements; Procedural Guidebook on legal requirements and Chain of Custody system, Administration Procedures for the Timber Associations to manage the system and Monitoring Protocols to monitor member compliance to the regulatory and Chain of Custody requirements.

GFS provided support for developing a forest management planning system for a 10,000ha natural forest area (HS Petuang) in Terengganu to meet the requirements for certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Principles & Criteria.

GFS supported Asrama Raya to establish a long-term Forest Management Plan, assessments for HCV and social issues and formalized procedures for all key forestry operations (Reduced Impact Logging) and associated activities.

The company received FSC Certification (FSC-C135483)

The objective of the project was to bring the land-uses in the connecting landscape and protected areas under a common and integrated management umbrella strategy in order to mainstream biodiversity, ecosystem functions and resilience, while enabling ongoing sustainable uses.

Activities includes:

· Collect, and expand availability and ease of use of, baseline bio-physical data regarding the demonstration site.

· Specify key data gaps that would act as barriers to project implementation.

· Prepare detailed technical overview of required additional data gathering and monitoring actions.

· Identify, improve access and ease of use of existing and future financial data related to demonstration landscape.

· Prepare a description of bio-physical data required by the project, and

· Identify and develop a strategy for filling data gaps.

· Assess the total economic value of alternative land use scenarios and ecosystems services.

· Provide scoping on optimal mix of revenue generations mechanisms, and

· Indicate funding gaps to be leveraged against investments to be raised internally through co-finance and/or through the market.

Field testing of draft Sarawak Legality Standard STLVS (Principles 1-6) Draft 04 on 6 forest license areas and 6 manufacturing / export companies.

Field Testing Report was developed for identification of weaknesses and to provide recommendations to improve the standard for field evaluation of compliance.

The project objective was to facilitate MRPE, STIDC, FDS & SFC interagency committee in their development of a due diligence system for the Sarawak Timber Legality Verification System.

Assist/facilitate in internal discussions and review for drafting the Sarawak Legality Standard for internal review by agencies and identified STA members.

Facilitate the interagency committee to develop a road map for implementation of the STLVS due diligence system.

GFS is part of a consortium lead by Ata Marie to support the Ghana Government – Forestry Commission to develop a Wood Tracking System to meet their commitments in the FLEGT VPA and the EU Timber Regulations.  The Ghana Wood Tracking System was developed as an integrated IT database project to capture forest inventory and tree harvesting data that can be tracked through production and export of finished wood products.  The Wood Tracking System incorporates a verification system that includes both data and field evaluation of compliance with the Ghana Legality Standard.

GFS provided the expertise for designing the verification system for the forests, wood processing and trade of wood products being used in the Ghana Wood Tracking System.

Chatham House conducted a review of the Ghana WTS that highlighted the success of the system to reduce illegal logging and provide credible data and traceability of legally harvested timber from licensed areas through manufacturing and export sales. Title Forest Sector Accountability in Cameroon and Ghana; Research paper;  08 October 2020; ISBN: 978 1 78413 423 5

GFS operated the FLEGT Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS) for Sabah Malaysia since May 2009 supported by the Sabah Forestry Department and originally sponsored by GIZ of Germany.  The legality verification project expanded to cover ALL harvest license areas in Sabah, Malaysia.   GFS evaluated legal compliance of ALL forest areas in Sabah, Malaysia, based on the field verification standard for legal compliance developed under the FLEGT project.

GFS provided monitoring of compliance for Reduced Impact Logging of selected concessions in relation to the Sabah 2009 Guidelines on RIL.GFS developed assessment checklists for evaluation of Comprehensive Harvest Plans (CHP) and implementation of Reduced Impact Logging (RIL). The project monitored CHP development & implementation of RIL in active logging license areas based on the planned schedule of coupe permits by the SFD.

Trans-boundary trade was evaluated to gain information on timber supply from the defined project areas, pilot projects and the resulting trade flows to Vietnam.

Activities included:

· Conduct an assessment of the cross-border timber trade from Laos to Vietnam in a comprehensive study that can provide a baseline for project monitoring.

· Analyze trade routes of timber from logging quotas linked to infrastructure development and land concessions in Sekong and Saravanh provinces including special quotas, infrastructure projects or land concessions that are either operational, approved or in (pre-)/feasibility stage.

· Evaluate the current traceability system within the area of Houay Pen PFA under the Sekong 4 / coal mining exploration concession in Sekong Province.  The on-going logging activities linked to the Sekong 4 hydropower and coal mining exploration projects offer the opportunity to recommend procedures for a “rapid traceability and inspection system” for timber harvested as an improved traceability system for infrastructure projects.

· Evaluate training needs for national and local Government forest inspection staff and develop a training concept.

The scope of the project is to support the development of a plantation management system for Burapha Agroforestry concession in Location Laos along with selected smallholder suppliers under a group system for FSC Certification.  The scope of the project includes:

· Evaluation of current management and COC system in plantation areas relevant to FSC requirements.

· Training of staff for Burapha Agro-Forestry on the development of plantation management planning, High Conservation Value Forestry & social requirements in line with FSC requirements.

· Support the development of Standard Operating Procedures for key activities and management system for Burapha plantations.

· Support development of a monitoring system for operations, environment and social issues.

· Management guidelines and agreement for small holder suppliers under FSC group scheme.

The scope of the project included:

· Evaluation of current management system and policy and assist in developing procedures and documents to meet the FSC requirements.

· Training of staff for Burapha Agro-Forestry (Laos) on the development of CoC system including purchasing, sales, warehousing and policy in line with FSC requirements.

· Evaluation of CoC system implementation.

The scope of this Project covered technical support for development of management planning and operational systems for Ulu Kalumpang, Mt Wullersdorf, Madai Baturong, and Kalumpang Forest Reserves to meet the FSC Standard.

· Technical support for collection of baseline data on forest resources, encroached areas HCVF & Social Assessments required for completion of the FMP.

· Support for development of a system of communication & dispute resolution required for certification.

· Support to identify & design potential carbon projects within degraded areas for rehabilitation.

· Develop a forest management plan for the forest reserves.

· Development of procedures for conservation management activities.

· Development of monitoring systems for forest resources, environmental and social elements and forest activities.

The scope of the project is limited to an assessment of the High Conservation Values (HCVF) within five natural forest concession sites in northeastern Cambodia that are currently under conversion into teak plantations:

Great Wonder Agricultural Development Co Ltd

Asia World Agricultural Development

Grand Land Agricultural Development Co Ltd

Pelin Agricultural Development Co Ltd

Plantation Agricultural Development Co Ltd

Supported the development of a forest management planning and operational systems in line with FSC requirements for 650,000 ha of natural forest concession area in Guyana.  GFS also support the establishment of a Chain of Custody system for Barama plywood and sawmill facilities to comply with the FSC CoC standard.

Barama Co Ltd achieved FSC certification for both the forest and mills in 2006.