Sindmóveis received representatives of the Community Forestry Producers Cooperative of the State of Acre. The delegation learned about the work of the association and visited some local companies, as the cooperative is a supplier of the furniture industry in São Paulo and plans to expand its operations to Southern Brazil. Cooperfloresta is comprised of seven communities from Acre, totaling 100 families growing wood in certified community forests and managing 42 species of trees. The proper handling of the wood is evidenced by the seal of the Forest Stewardship Council. This means that the extraction was properly done and that the process was accompanied by a team qualified to certify the origin of the wood. Cooperfloresta also has a chain-of-custody certification – which means they track the entire production process, regardless of their use and destination. The criteria for obtaining this certification are even stricter than the national legislation. and therefore it is a guarantee of origin. Joachim Meier-Dornberg, a technical advisor to WWF, a partner of Cooperfloresta, says that the cooperative is expected to reach 200 families this year, increasing the supply of raw materials to the furniture sector. According to him, the state government of Acre has signaled their intention to support the legalization of local woodworkers. Cooperfloresta assists in the process of licensing, production, processing and sales of wood, shortening the way to the market and adding value to the production. This is intended to guarantee the conditions for the permanence of forest peoples in their communities, preserving their culture and customs, enabling the sustainable extraction as an economic activity. To learn more about Cooperfloresta, visit: http://www.cooperfloresta.com
. .
