The Flemish Minister for the Environment, Kris Peters, was a special guest at Norbord’s Genk mill recently to celebrate the certification of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) status to the surrounding forest area. The FSC certification recognises areas where sustainable forestry management methods are employed and this is an important aspect of Norbord’s raw material buying policy.

The 4,450 hectare Kempen forest near the Genk mill is the first area in eastern Belgium to received FSC certification and was the result of work for the local forestry owners, Norbord and other local environmental groups. The Minister visited the Genk mill to see the first of the newly certified FSC timber being processed and then went to the local forestry commission office to hold a press conference regarding the certification. The Minister said: “This certification is not only an event for the forest owners but also the environmental groups, residents and surrounding communities who were involved in these joint efforts.”

And, of course, Norbord’s mill in Genk benefits as it has an additional access to FSC timber on its doorstep The Minister said he was interested in returning to Genk later in the year to see Norbord’s biomass plant in action which will replace the need to use fossil fuels at the mill.