Understand how independent certification supports responsible, long-term forest management.
Responsible management
Our certification supports the conservation and responsible stewardship of Queensland state forests, securing social, environmental and economic advantages for now and in the future.
We ensure the responsible management of Queensland's native forest timber resources on state forests by:
- implementing forest certification
- conducting independent audits
- engaging with stakeholders
- working closely with the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI).
Forest certification
Our forest management system is independently certified to the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Sustainable Forest Management (PDF, 981 KB), known as the Responsible Wood Standard, under the Responsible Wood Scheme.
To ensure compliance, we are regularly audited against the requirements of the Responsible Wood Standard. This includes requirements for systematic management and sustainability.
Systematic management criteria
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Stakeholder engagement
- Operations
- Performance evaluation
- Improvement
Sustainability criteria
- Maintain forests and carbon
- Forest ecosystem health
- Biodiversity
- Soil and water resources
- Forest productive capacity
- Cultural values
- Social and economic benefits
Further details of how we deliver on these requirements are provided in our Forest Management Plan summary (PDF, 239KB).
Our certification applies to all state forests, which are mapped as the defined forest area. It also enables our customers to maintain a chain-of-custody certification, allowing them to label and promote the environmental integrity of their timber products.
Audits
We undertake inspections throughout the harvesting process to monitor compliance with all environmental and operational controls.
DETSI also audits timber harvesting operations to ensure compliance with the Code of Practice for Native Forest Timber Production on Queensland’s State Forest Estate 2020 (PDF, 4.33MB).
As part of our certification, we are audited against all elements of the Responsible Wood Standard by a Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ) accredited, external and independent auditor.
The types of audits conducted include:
- surveillance audits every 9 months
- a full recertification audit every 3 years.
See our latest Summary Audit Report.
Other government departments
DETSI's management of state forests is included in our certification due to its role in broader forest planning and management between selective timber-harvesting events.
Other Queensland Government departments also oversee legislation related to forestry and land management. Those departments with responsibility for key aspects of native forest management in Queensland are outlined in the responsibilities of government.
View our certificate
Our Responsible Wood Certificate verifies our certification.
More information
Read more about how we look after the environment.
Last updated: 26 Mar 2025