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          1. Certification

Benefits of certification

More on certification

Why FSC? Genuine responsible forest management
WhyFSC is an initiative of a number of European companies, and collects independant research to demonstrate why FSC is the only certification system to offer genuine certainty about responsible forest management.
Lumber extraction Tierra Blanca, Chimalapa Region Oaxaca, Mexico.

Environmental benefits

The main motivation for many of the FSC's members at the start was environmental: to create a certification system that would guarantee to everyone participating in the forest industry that their contribution was helping to protect, rather than to destroy the forests. FSC's environmeforntal criteria recognises that forest management should:

  • Conserve biological diversity and its values: water resources, soils, unique and fragile ecosytems and landscapes
  • Maintain the ecological functions and integrity of the forest
  • Protect threatened and endangered species and their habitats

Social benefits

The FSC's concept of sustainable forest management aims to ensure that human rights for local communities and forest workers are respected.

To meet the social criteria laid down by the FSC, all certified forestry operations must seek permission from indigenous groups before forestry work can begin.

Local people who have traditionally used the forests for collecting fruits, firewood, building materials or medicinal plants, must still have access to the forests which offer them a livelihood.

Economic benefits

Certification can enhance profitability.

FSC makes good business sense according to research. Positive benefits of FSC certification include:
  • improved market access
  • higher prices
  • more stable contracts
  • favourable credit arrangements
  • improved production efficiency and
  • enhanced public image.

Notably, FSC certification can bring a strategic advantage on the market in terms of market share and leads to greater management efficiency through improved planning and record keeping.

Many FSC certified forest operations have considerably reduced costs and increased profits because natural management required less work, for example, when priority is given to natural regeneration instead of planting.

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