FSC FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD

Finding Solutions to Global Problems

Forest management certification involves an inspection of the forest management unit by an independent FSC-accredited certification body to check that the forest complies with the internationally-agreed FSC 10 Principles of Responsible Forest Management. If the forest complies with FSC standards, then the FSC accredited certification body issues a certificate for the operation.

The Revised 10 Principles and Criteria

Principle 1: Compliance with Laws
The Organization shall comply with all applicable laws; regulations and nationally- ratified international treaties, conventions and agreements.

Principle 2: Workers Rights and Employment Conditions
The Organization shall maintain or enhance the social and economic wellbeing of workers.

Principle 3: Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
The Organization shall identify and uphold indigenous peoples’ legal and customary rights of ownership, use and management of land, territories and resources affected by management activities.

Principle 4: Community Relations
The Organization shall contribute to maintaining or enhancing the social and economic wellbeing of local communities.

Principle 5: Benefits from the Forest
The Organization shall efficiently manage the range of multiple products and services of the Management Unit to maintain or enhance long-term economic viability and the range of environmental and social benefits

Principle 6: Environmental Values and Impacts
The Organization shall maintain, conserve and/or restore ecosystem services and environmental values of the Management Unit, and shall avoid, repair or mitigate negative environmental impacts.

Principle 7: Management Planning
The Organization shall have a management plan consistent with its policies and objectives and proportionate to scale, intensity and risks of its management activities. The management plan shall be implemented and kept up to date based on monitoring information in order to promote adaptive management. The associated planning and procedural documentation shall be sufficient to guide staff, inform affected stakeholders and interested stakeholders and to justify management decisions.

Principle 8: Monitoring and Assessment
The Organization shall demonstrate that, progress towards achieving the management objectives, the impacts of management activities and the condition of the Management Unit, are monitored and evaluated proportionate to the scale, intensity and risk of management activities, in order to implement adaptive management.

Principle 9: High Conservation Values
The Organization shall maintain and/or enhance the High Conservation Values in the Management Unit through applying the precautionary approach.

Principle 10: Implementation of Management Activities
Management activities conducted by or for The Organization for the Management Unit shall be selected and implemented consistent with The Organization’s economic, environmental and social policies and objectives and in compliance with the Principles and Criteria collectively.