| (1) | For the purposes of this section, "owner" means— |
| (i) | criteria on the basis of which it can be determined whether or not forests are being managed sustainably; |
| (ii) | indicators which may be used to measure the state of forest management; and |
| (iii) | appropriate standards in relation to the indicators; and |
| (b) | create or promote certification programmes and other incentives to encourage sustainable forest management, |
on the advice of the Committee for Sustainable Forest Management.
| (a) | publish the criteria, indicators and standards in the form of regulations made under section 53(2)(b); |
| (b) | identify clearly where the breach of a standard may be an offence. |
| (4) | The Minister may publish the criteria, indicators and standards in such other media as he or she considers appropriate. |
| (5) | Specific regional, economic, social and environmental conditions must be taken into account in determining criteria, indicators and standards. |
| (6) | Criteria and indicators may include, but are not limited to, those for determining— |
| (a) | the level of maintenance and development of— |
| (iii) | the health and vitality of forests; |
| (iv) | the productive functions of forests; |
| (v) | the protective and environmental functions of forests; and |
| (vi) | the social functions of forests; |
| (b) | the level of provision of socio-economic benefits; and |
| (c) | the status and appropriateness of the policy and the legislative and institutional framework for forest management. |
| (7) | The criteria, indicators and standards determined under subsection (2)(a)— |
| (a) | may apply nationally, regionally or to specific forest management units; |
| (b) | may identify the boundaries of the forest management unit or units to which they apply; |
| (c) | may apply to ail or to specific forest types; |
| (d) | bind all owners of land on which there are forests in the area and of the type to which the standards apply; |
| (e) | bind any other persons to whom they are expressly made applicable. |
| (8) | Where the breach of a particular standard may be an offence, a forest officer may inform an owner who is in breach of that standard by written notice of— |
| (a) | the nature of the breach; |
| (b) | the steps which the owner must take to remedy the breach; and |
| (c) | the period within which he or she must do so. |
| (9) | The period laid down in the notice may be extended by the Minister for good reason. |
