Legally Required Document

Title in original language: 林木采伐许可证

Applicable to: Forest/plantation that grows on forest land, which is subject to Forest Law. Either a forest entity or an individual farmer can manage the forest/plantation to be harvested.

Holder of Document: Forest entity and farmers who manage forest/plantation land. 

Signature required by:

County Forest Authority:

• State-owned forest at the county level
• Collective forest
• Individual farmers

Provincial Forestry Department:

• State-owned forest at the prefecture and province level
• Provisionally managed nature reserves or forest parks
• Ecological forests
• Non-forestry units

National Forestry and Grassland Administration:

• Key state-owned forest
• Nature reserves or forest parks of key national importance, or other forests with ecological importance

Important note: Since late 2021 (the specific date is unknown), a QR code is included in the harvest permit which allows to verify the authenticity of the harvest permit.

Key considerations when checking the doc:

• Check if there is a readable QR code on the harvest permit? If the verification result through scanning the QR code shows exactly the same information as the harvest permit provided?
• Check the permit dates to verify that the approved date of harvesting is prior to the date of delivery?
• Is the date of issuing this document before the date of transport?
• Has the applicable authority provided the signature?
• What area and forest type (natural/ plantation) is included in the harvesting permit? Is this consistent with the species/wood-type relevant to the supply?
• Is the holder's name the same as the seller’s name on the VAT invoice or receipt (for farmer)?
• Is the harvesting volume (mill run volume) equal to or greater than the volume shown on the invoice and phytosanitary certificate? Are these volumes consistent with the volumes required for further processing or the volume of final product required?
• Is the species the same as on the invoice and phytosanitary certificate?
• Is the harvesting location the same as or near to the starting place for transport (see delivery note/Invoice)?

Purpose and content of document:
The Forest Harvesting Permit is required prior to harvesting and provides evidence of legal harvesting. While harvesting trees, holders must act according to the required time, area, species, and measures of the permit to harvest forest. Contents of the Forest Harvest Permit include holder, permit code, harvesting location, GPS coordinates, Forest Tenure Certificate code, forest type (natural forest or plantation), species, land ownership type (state or collective), harvest method (clear or selective cut), harvest rate, harvesting area, number of trees to be harvested, felled stock volume, mill run volume, duration of harvesting and authorised organisation, etc. Harvesting permits tend to be valid for only one to six months, so several permits are likely to be needed to cover one year of harvesting. However, the validity may vary according to harvesting volume: where the volume under the permit is larger, the permit may have longer validity. Felled volume is defined as the total estimated volume including branches and twigs based on the harvest survey and design prior to harvesting; while mill run volume is only the estimated volume of logs.

Evidence limitations and weaknesses:
In some cases, the specific species on the harvest permit is not clear. Often species are indicated as e.g., ‘broadleaf’, ‘mixed forest with conifer and broadleaved trees’, ‘pine’, etc... The scientific species are not required to be defined.