The FSC Outstanding Achievement Award was presented by Charles Thwaites, Executive Director of FSC-UK, and accepted on behalf of Sound & Fair by Makala Jasper, National Director of Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative (MCDI), and James Lazier, MCDI Trustee.

The FSC Outstanding Achievement Award recognises the work carried out by Sound & Fair in establishing a Chain of Custody for FSC African blackwood and Hanson Clarinets in producing the world’s first FSC-Certified woodwind instrument.

The award will be made by Charles Thwaites, Executive Director of FSC UK, at the Sound & Fair Concert in Cambridge on Saturday 28th May 2011.

Accepting the award will be Alastair Hanson, Co-Founder of Hanson Clarinets, and on behalf of Sound & Fair, Makala Jasper, the National Director of Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative in Tanzania.

Tickets are still available for the Sound & Fair Concert, featuring Sound & Fair Patron, Nicholas Daniel, and the Haffner Reed Trio, at West Road Concert Hall Cambridge on Saturday 28th May 2011.

Lynsey Marsh, principal clarinettist with the Halle, performed a number of solo pieces before a finale of Messager’s Solo de Concours with RNCM pianist Darius Battiwalla.

In April 2009, Hanson Clarinets became the world’s first FSC-certified woodwind instrument manufacturer and committed itself to producing environmentally and socially responsible clarinets from FSC-certified African blackwood. Less than one year later, the first instrument is on the market.

The Hanson FSC-certified Clarinet is a T6, English Bore grade professional standard instrument fitted with an EPDM pad system that is the most environmentally sustainable currently available.

Alastair Hanson, Hanson co-founder said: “We are proud to be making the world’s first FSC-certified woodwind instruments right here in Yorkshire. We buy our wood responsibly to help safeguard the hugely valuable natural resources of the tropical forests that provide the material needed to make clarinets. We want our customers to be able to know that the Clarinet hasn’t been made from illegal or unsustainable logging.”

Hanson are the largest clarinet manufacturer in the UK and the FSC instruments are made in their workshop in Marsden, West Yorkshire. Hanson Clarinets’ is FSC-certified under Oxford Timber Audits group certificate, FSC C007915.

Following Lynsey Marsh’s performance, students from the Royal Northern College of Music were invited to test the FSC clarinet for themselves. Hanson Co-founder, Alastair Hanson, received feedback from the students a number of different aspects of the instrument.

Carolyn Cossins, 2nd year Royal Northern College of Music undergraduate studying with Nick Cox, said: “My experience of playing the Hanson clarinet has opened my eyes to the possibilities of what can be done as a musician to help promote fair trade. I am very privileged to have been able to play this clarinet, I found it had a lovely warm sound that was free-blowing. I hope that lots of clarinettists will consider buying Hansons for both their quality and to help traders in under developed countries.”

Lucy Payne, 3rd year Royal Northern College of Music undergraduate studying with Linda Merrick and Chris Swann, said: “It was fantastic to play the first clarinet that realises a beautiful sound and a highly competitive prices, alongside responsible production.”

Belinda Gough, Head of Woodwind at Chetham’s School of Music, said: “The source of the woods used to make musical instruments is a current and active topic about which all our students at Chet’s should be aware.”

Mike Chandler, Chairman of Environment Africa Trust, which has funded the Sound & Fair campaign to develop the market for FSC-certified African blackwood, hosted the launch event and provided an introduction on the 15-year evolution of the FSC instrument.

Mike Chandler said: “The launch of this world-first FSC-certified Hanson clarinet marks the culmination of over 15 years of vision and hard work involving the forest-dependent people of Tanzania, who are amongst the world’s poorest communities. The wood in the clarinet has made a pioneering journey and it is immensely satisfying seeing the finished instrument the hands of celebrated musicians such as Lynsey Marsh.”

All photos © Craig Ritchie.

PRESS COVERAGE OF THE HANSON FSC CLARINET LAUNCH

Watch BBC News video of the FSC clarinet

Geoffrey Lean – The Telegraph – Saturday 22 January 2011

Fauna and Flora International – Monday 24 January 2011

Forest Stewardship Council – Monday 24 January 2011

The commitment to sustainable and ethical procurement of timber follows an investigation of the company by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under the Lacey Act.

The on-going investigation follows a raid on the company’s US manufacturing plant in November 2009 during which Madagascan rosewood was seized.

However, Gibson are not waiting for the outcome of those investigations, which could result in fines of up to $US500,000, before taking action on their supply chain.

Gibson Chairman and CEO, Henry Juszkiewicz has committed the company to a 100% FSC-certified future and has engaged the Rainforest Alliance as a partner to assist the company with making the necessary changes.

Gibson is implementing a six part strategy to guide its progress:

1) eliminate risk in the supply chain by identifying potentially illegal or unsustainable sources, banning future purchases of ebony or rosewood from Madagascar, and requiring all future purchases to be from documented legal sources.

2) establish a baseline of the entire supply chain to determine which come from known or unknown, legally verified, or sustainably certified sources (FSC as the goal).

3) commitment to source FSC-certified or Verified Legal wood, with progress against the baseline independently audited by the Rainforest Alliance and formally reviewed by Gibson’s Chairman and CEO each year.

4) continued investment in the sustainability of the supply chain, providing support community, indigenous and small and medium-sized enterprises working toward FSC certification to help build more FSC-certified supply.

5) establish alternative sources to reduce the need for rare woods, including composite materials, recycled woods, and sourcing from FSC-certified forests whenever possible.

6) an individual has been appointed to lead Gibson’s wood sourcing initiatives globally, as well as people within each division and mill, who will be accountable for sourcing tracking and improvements.

This decisive move towards FSC is not a complete turnaround for the company as it has been exploring sustainable timber options for around 10 years and has previously marketed FSC-certified instruments.

However, the current investigation into the company’s timber procurement policies has emphasised the need to get their house in order both in terms of sustainability and ethics.

The TNS survey of over 1,000 people, carried out on behalf of WWF as part of their ‘What Wood You Choose?’ campaign, showed that half of consumers assumed that timber was legal or didn’t know if timber came from illegal sources.

Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK, said: “If people buy any wood or paper products that aren’t certified then they could, unwittingly, be helping to fuel illegal and unsustainable logging activities across the globe. Buying FSC certified products is the only way to be certain that the interests of the forests, the species that live in them, and the people that rely on them to make a living are being considered.”

The survey also revealed that 75% of consumers believed that their buying choices could have an impact on people in developing countries.

However, only 28% were aware of FSC or the FSC logo and it’s significance when placed on products as a sign of timber that originates from sustainable and ethical sources.

Julia Young, WWF UK’s Forest and Trade Network Manager, said: “A lot of certified timber isn’t even sold as certified because the demand is low. We really need consumers to recognise how vital a role they have. Anything you buy, from office paper to flooring, asking where it’s from is critical. FSC may not be without its flaws, but buying FSC-certified products is the only way to be certain that the good of the forests, the incredibly diverse species that live in them, and the people who rely on them are being considered.”

The survey also revealed widespread recognition of the need for the government to legislate for change with 65% believing that government and local authorities should commit to sustainable timber procurement policies.

In addition, Julia Young emphasised the crucial role played by manufacturing companies in shaping consumer habits: “Timber is a consumer demand-led market, just like anything else, so consumer response is utterly critical. The number of times we hear companies saying, ‘but our consumers won’t pay more’, while we know that they have been successfully adjusting people’s shopping habits when it suits them for 20 years.”

The FSC-certified MADERA guitar range will be built with 100% FSC-Pure certified tonewoods such as Sitka spruce, Western Red cedar, and South American ‘True’ mahogany.

With an FSC Chain-of-Custody certification, all woods on the MADERA are tracked from forest to finished instrument thereby guaranteeing its sustainable origins.

“We all share the same world and we all need to do our part to be a part of the solution and ensure we live in a sustainable way,” says Jonathan Lee, Chief Designer behind Walden guitars.

“Ecologically friendly products are in high demand but sustainable-wood acoustic guitars are rare and expensive.

“‘Green’ acoustic guitars made by ethically run factories in Mainland China do not exist; until now.

“Obtaining certification and building with FSC-Pure materials is the only way we can be sure that we are honestly obtaining woods from responsible sources.

“However, these sources are rare at this time. It is my hope that demand for these instruments will aid in certifying more forests around the world and make sustainable living commonplace.”

Find out more at Walden Guitars

Some of the world’s poorest people have opened up a new source of revenue by selling the world’s first sustainably harvested African blackwood from their forests.

The timber harvest was carried out under the strict criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is destined for woodwind instrument manufacturers in the UK.

The harvest is the first step in a new campaign called Sound and Fair which aims to realise a sustainable trade in African blackwood through a fully-certified chain of custody linking village communities in Tanzania to woodwind instrument musicians in the UK.

The timber was felled in late 2009 in a Village Land Forest Reserve managed by Kikole village, in Kilwa District, south-eastern Tanzania. Kikole received a payment of around £1,200 in return for 15 cubic metres of African Blackwood.

Previously the community would only have received around five pence per log. In all Kikole were able to realise an income nearly 400 times more than they would have received previously on the 63 logs which were sold.

Kikole intend to spend the money they have raised on improving the road to the village, improving market access for impoverished farmers and providing local employment.

Mr Mwinyimkuu Awadhi, Chairman of Kikole village, comments: “In 2009 the communities of Kikole Village we have realized for the first time the benefits from selling our own timber. All the money was paid to the villages unlike in the past where by this money would have gone to the government. We the villagers now have full control of our forest resources and we will benefit even more when we do more harvesting in the near future.”

Local resident, Mwanaisha Likoko adds: “Changes have come to our village through the forest we own and manage under our control, the money we have received will be used within our village to improve our social services.”

Kikole’s forest reserve was established in 2006 after the District Council approved a management plan which the community had prepared setting out how they intended to manage the forest sustainably.

In 2009, Kikole became the FSC certified, community-managed forest in Africa, via an FSC-group certificate managed by the Mpingo Conservation Project, the Sound and Fair campaign’s Tanzanian partner.

Neil Bridgland, Sound and Fair Campaign Manager says: “This harvest represents a sea change for forest communities in Southern Tanzania.  For the first time, they have security over their natural resources and can reap the benefits from them. The challenge now is to persuade UK classical music instrument manufacturers and users to accept FSC certified timber as standard so creating the necessary demand for African blackwood that will enable the roll-out of Kikole’s success across Southern Tanzania.”

Jasper Makala, National Coordinator of MCP in Tanzania says: “Community forestry is not just about giving local people a stake in how the forests are managed, but ensuring they can reap the benefits. This is both social justice and effective conservation.”

From Kikole village, the wood will soon be taken to an FSC certified sawmill, where it will be sawn into billets for export to the UK.

Dr Azim Fazal, Director of the sawmill, Sandali Wood Industries, says: “This is a proud moment for us. Now we hope that Western buyers will embrace FSC certification and start discouraging enterprises who harvest and process irresponsibly.”

On arrival the wood must then be properly seasoned (dried out), a process which takes at least one year. It is expected that the first FSC-certified blackwood instruments will be available in the UK from summer 2011.

DOWNLOAD PDF OF PRESS RELEASE – 19 JANUARY 2010

Some of the world’s poorest people have achieved international recognition for responsible forest management, and a golden opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty, through selling responsibly harvested timber for musical instruments

Two communities in Tanzania, working through the Mpingo Conservation Project (MCP), have obtained the first certificate for community-managed natural forest in Africa. This landmark achievement will enable the communities to earn 250 times more from their woodlands – by managing them responsibly – than they have done previously.

The certificate is awarded by the international body, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which promotes responsible management of the world’s forests.

The main timber that will be harvested and sold internationally by the Tanzanian communities is African Blackwood (also known as mpingo), a slow growing tree which is highly prized for making clarinets, oboes and bagpipes. The FSC certificate will enable communities to earn upwards of US$19 (£13) per log compared to 8 cents (5 pence) they received before the MCP began working with them.

Under the system of Participatory Forest Management (PFM), which is enshrined in Tanzanian law, communities can take over ownership and control of their local forests from the government, allowing them to profit from timber sales, as long as they manage the forests sustainably. However, with illegal logging widespread, there is a need to differentiate timber coming from community forests from other sources if communities are to receive a fair price; the new FSC certificate does that.

A small collection of villages in south-east Tanzania have been working with MCP since 2004 to achieve this historic first for African people, offering new hope for the twin goals of poverty alleviation and forest protection on the continent.

Mr Mwinyimkuu Awadhi, Chairman of Kikole village, comments: “previously we just used blackwood without thought, but we have learnt that it is a valuable resource. now we see that we can utilise our stocks to benefit us all as villagers.”

Local farmer, Mwanaiba Ali Mbega (female), adds: “when we started this project we began to see the benefits that could arise from managing our forests. Now we have reached the stage of certification we are confident we are going to bring long term benefits that we will be able to pass on to our grand-children.”

The first timber will be harvested by the villagers in May/June this year. The wood must then be properly dried, a process which takes at least one year, and it is expected that the first FSC-certified blackwood instruments will be available sometime in 2011.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Mpingo Conservation Project (MCP) aims to conserve endangered forest habitats in east Africa by promoting sustainable and socially equitable harvesting of valuable timber stocks, and with a particular focus on mpingo – the African Blackwood tree – which is used to make clarinets, oboes and bagpipes.

2. The Forest Stewardship Council’s forest certification standard is recognised as the global gold standard for responsible forest management. Most FSC-certified forests are commercially-owned temperate or boreal forests; few are in the tropics, and even fewer are community-owned. MCP has been awarded certificate no. SA-FM/COC-002151 by FSC; it covers 2,420ha of forest at this initial stage.

3. The African Blackwood tree has long been over-harvested across the continent to obtain its dark, lustrous heartwood. The wood is greatly prized for its strong structural qualities by local wood carvers and international manufacturers of woodwind instruments. Although African Blackwood is still relatively abundant in south-east Tanzania, illegal logging is widespread and very poor, forest-dependent communities generally receive little benefit from logging on the land around their villages.

DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION OF PRESS RELEASE – APRIL 2009