Forests win with PEFC at 2013 Nordic Ski World Championships

5 February 2013 News

From the 2012 London Summer Olympics to the 2013 Fiemme Nordic Ski World Championships to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics: The sports world is becoming increasingly conscious of its potential contribution to sustainable forest management, with wood-based materials at the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championship originating from PEFC-certified forests.

With Nordic sports taking place in and around forests, the move to promote sustainable forestry is a natural one for the organizers of the 2013 Championships, which will be taking place in Val di Fiemme, the Fiemme Valley, in the Trentino region in Northern Italy. In fact, PEFC-certified forests will provide the backdrop for the 2013 Championship events, making the link between the sports and responsible forestry ever more obvious.

"The Nordic World Ski Championships are an excellent opportunity to inform the public about the benefits of sustainable forestry and highlight the importance of forest certification. Millions of people will be able to see – on TV and live at the events - the beauty of the PEFC-certified spruce forests of Val Di Fiemme, and they will be able to contribute to safeguarding them by looking for the PEFC logo next time they buy wood-based products," said Francesco Dellagiacoma, Vice President of PEFC Italy. 

"We therefore commend the organizers of the 2013 Nordic World Ski Chamionships in Val di Fiemme for committing to procuring certified, sustainably sourced material, including brochures, posters, stationary, tissue as well as toilet paper."

Fiemme 2013, as the event is coined, will be taking place from 20 February to 3 March at various locations in Val di Fiemme and includes cross country skiing, ski jumping, and Nordic combined.

A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the President of the Fiemme 2013 Organising Committee, Peter Degodenz, and the Chairman of PEFC Italy, Pier Luigi Ferrari, further specifies the use of local materials and companies to minimize carbon emissions and in support of the economy of the Trentino region. To this end, PEFC Italy will calculate the CO2 savings made possible thanks to the use of locally-sourced, certified material.

Prominent wooden structures, including sports facilities and the awards stage where athletes will receive their medals are made of wood from local PEFC-certified forests and are in the process of obtaining PEFC Project Chain of custody certification.

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic will follow the examples set by the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships and specify certification for wood-based materials.