ABSTRACT
For some forest managers, the aim of certification is to allow them to make immediate claims about the quality of their forest management. This is particularly important where the demand for certification comes from investors, governments, shareholders or local communities. However, the biggest driver behind forest certification remains the market demand for products that come from well-managed forests. It is therefore necessary to have a mechanism which links products to the forest where the original tree (or non-timber forest product) was grown. This is known as product tracing, supply-chain management or, most commonly, chain of custody. This chapter examines both chain of custody and claims.
