The new PEFC sustainable forest management standards for France have come into force: a major step forward for the sustainability of forests

From now on, a transition period begins, which will end on September 25, 2026, during which forest owners, forest operators, forest managers and forest contractors involved in PEFC will become aware of the new requirements and gradually implement them, with the support of the PEFC group certification organization in their respective territories.

Adapting PEFC requirements to meet French forestry challenges

While forest management is considered over the long term, the issues surrounding their sustainability are evolving more and more rapidly: societal expectations, growing consumption of wood-based products, and accelerating climate change. Taking into account the evolution of scientific knowledge and feedback from the field, adapting forestry practices is necessary to address these new challenges. This is what PEFC does by regularly revising its sustainable forest management rules, according to the principle of continuous improvement, so that forest owners and forest stakeholders continue to be among the greatest allies of forest sustainability.

The new PEFC requirements, resulting from the latest revision, which has just been completed, are the result of a collective effort that brought together, within a PEFC Forum, more than 110 stakeholders concerned with the management of French forests. For more than a year, in consultation, they defined these new standards, into which the requirements of the European Regulation against Deforestation and Forest Degradation (RDUE) were integrated.

For Christine de Neuville, president of PEFC France: "The use of wood, a renewable material and natural carbon sink, is emerging as a solution for the future, but also raises questions about our ability to meet demand while preserving our forests. PEFC certification is essential to demonstrate sustainable forest management and exploitation that meets today's challenges. By evolving our requirements, we are taking concrete action to address climate challenges."

What concrete developments?

The new PEFC sustainable forest management standards include more than 100 sustainable forest management requirements for metropolitan France. They are expressed in the form of 31 commitments that bring together PEFC and its partners around a shared vision of forest balance.

The main developments in PEFC forests in metropolitan France from 2025:

• Ban on chemical weedkillers
• Clarification of the concept of “landscape sensitivity zones”
• Reduction in the authorized size of clearcuts and introduction of a diagnosis to justify any excess
• Details of the means to be implemented to contribute to the restoration of the forest-wildlife balance
• Introduction of the concept and framework for forest transformation
• Introduction of the concept of High Ecological Value Forest Areas
• Reinforced practice of species diversification
• Increase in the number of old trees and dead trees to be preserved
• Implementation of PEFC commitments in agroforestry areas

Support the implementation of new standards

In order to facilitate their implementation in mainland France, PEFC France is providing all forest owners, forest operators and forest stakeholders involved in PEFC with a guide to understand how to implement the new requirements and a brochure which presents the 9 main developments.

To go further, PEFC puts online a new website which allows for a unique experience of PEFC-certified forests in mainland France. It is a complementary tool that allows foresters to understand around a hundred PEFC requirements and to learn about their main developments.

All PEFC teams in the field are also available to support professionals to answer any questions and assist them in adopting the new standards.

Everyone is concerned about the future of forests!

Forest sustainability isn't just about foresters, forest workers, and timber industry companies. PEFC France is also making this new website available to the public. It will allow everyone to experience a PEFC-certified forest, explore all PEFC requirements, and their contribution to preserving French forests.

The entire society is concerned about the sustainability of forests. PEFC France, guardian of forest balance, is adapting to new challenges.