We are excited to announce that Tomoaki Nishihara has officially assumed the role of Executive Director of FSC Japan as of April 1, 2024. Tomoaki succeeds Eiji Maezawa, who retired in December 2023, and brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to forest conservation and sustainable practices.
Message from Tomoaki Nishihara
Since starting my research on gorillas and chimpanzees in African tropical forests in 1989, I have spent 30 years dedicated to field research and wildlife conservation in Africa. As a staff member of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), I managed national parks and conserved tropical forest ecosystems. I have witnessed the accelerating loss of forests and biodiversity, and the infringement on the rights and lifestyles of indigenous peoples who depend on these forests.
In the Republic of Congo, I collaborated on a pioneering project with local government, FSC-certified forestry companies, and WCS, serving as an advisor on wildlife conservation and as a commentator for annual FSC certification audits. I observed the exceptional achievements in biodiversity conservation and the respect for indigenous peoples by FSC-certified companies.
Today, we face urgent challenges: conserving ecosystems, mitigating climate change, preventing pandemics, avoiding human-wildlife conflicts, and ensuring social equity for indigenous peoples. It is imperative to halt further forest destruction. Even with minimal resource development, promoting FSC-certified forestry is essential.
For paper products, comparing FSC-certified domestic and foreign paper, other certified paper, and recycled paper is essential. For timber, compare FSC-certified domestic and foreign timber with other certified options. The first step is highlighting the characteristics and importance of FSC-certified paper and timber.
Additionally, explaining various forestry operations based on FSC and other certifications in an easy-to-understand manner is crucial to clarify the differences.
In resource-scarce Japan, awareness and understanding of international certification systems are low. We aim to work with our staff to promote these certifications among domestic businesses and consumers.
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