In May 2025, following a number of stakeholder concerns about its practicability, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) Steering Group agreed to revisit Clause 4.10.1 c) of the PEFC-endorsed UKWAS 5.0 standard, which requires that existing game-release pens in areas of high conservation value are taken out of use over time. The aim of the requirement was to prevent negative impacts on ground flora and fauna on high conservation sites such as ancient woodlands and other protected areas.
A series of drafting meetings and an informative field visit were held by the UKWAS revision working group and invited experts during the period from June to September 2025, following which a draft of the amended text of the clause was produced. UKWAS Working Group Chair Peter Wilson said: “This was a challenging task, as we needed to consider how best to safeguard conservation values whilst protecting an important revenue stream for many woodland owners and managers.”
At its latest meeting, on 11 November 2025, the UKWAS Steering Group considered and approved the proposed amended text and recommended that Clause 4.10.1 of UKWAS 5.0 should be revised.
The proposed amendment to the requirement is considered by both UKWAS and PEFC to be a formal revision to the standard, and due process will need to be followed in accordance with the UKWAS Standard Setting Process (V3.1). Therefore, the approved amended text will now go through two rounds of 60-day public consultation, the first of which is now open and runs until 16 February 2026.
Mr Wilson added: “The working group has developed an amended text which aims to achieve an appropriate balance of interests. The Steering Group has discussed the draft at length and supports the proposed text. The revision working group is now seeking stakeholders’ views on their draft.”
John Kirkby, National Secretary of PEFC UK, commented on the importance of stakeholder participation in the consultation: “When carrying out revisions of any accredited standard, it is essential that all amendments to requirements are practical to implement for certificate holders and that their conformance is auditable by certification bodies. Therefore, stakeholder consultation about the potential implications of any amendments is a critical part of this revision process, and I would encourage as many people as possible to contribute, in particular those who feel they are adversely impacted by Clause 4.10.1 c) of UKWAS 5.0.”
A consultation paper and full documentation is available on the UKWAS website and standard-users and stakeholders should email UKWAS to submit their input by Monday, 16th February 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
The UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) is the national forest management standard for the UK that is endorsed by PEFC against their sustainable forest management benchmarks. You can view copy of the latest version of the of the UKWAS 5.0 standard, which was endorsed by PEFC in July 2024.
Section 4.10 of UKWAS 5 relates to game-rearing, shooting and fisheries management. Clause 4.10.1 c) requires that existing game-release pens in areas of high conservation value are taken out of use by 1st December 2026. The aim of the requirement is to prevent negative impacts on ground flora and fauna on high conservation sites such as ancient woodlands and other protected areas.
Clause 4.10.1c) which is a new requirement in UKWAS 5.0 had troubled a number of woodland managers especially those in lowland areas and on traditional estates where game shooting provides an important revenue stream. Many felt the requirement was impractical for them to implement and would result in them needing to withdraw from certification, which was not the intention of the clause.
A consultation paper and full documentation, including the revised text is available on the UKWAS website and standard-users and stakeholders should submit their input via email to UKWAS by Monday, 16th February 2026.
Once the consultation closes, all comments received will be reviewed by the UKWAS Working Group and further changes to the text of the revised clause 4.10.1 will be made as deemed necessary. This amended text will then be subject to a second 60-day public consultation.