My recent trip to Canada got me thinking about the work FSC does with local communities and indigenous groups in tropical forests; specifically, how we can improve local lives through the FSC certification process.
For example, some countries have serious problems with corruption and weak government control of forest management, while others have systems that function far better. In some countries, risks of violations of human rights and destruction of natural values are far higher than in other countries; putting more pressure on the control systems in place.
Over the next few years, FSC will translate our new Principles and Criteria and the International Generic Indicators into new national standards for responsible forest management. Together, all stakeholders will decide how we can best do that.
However, finding new ways to make certification simpler and more meaningful for local communities and indigenous groups is a major challenge in this process. We need to make our concepts actionable for local communities on the ground. Ultimately, we must make it easier for these groups to be certified and become part of the system, while still maintaining our credibility.
FSC has already made significant steps towards this simplification. If we look at smallholders, for instance, we have a special type of certificate (SLIMF) for them. At present, there are around 140,000 smallholders certified. But, more must be done.
We also have options available for groups of forest owners, or individual land owners in small areas, to get together, to submit a group certification. There would be one audit for around 500 land owners, and they could then share the cost, for example – making certification affordable.
Globally, we have the FSC Permanent Indigenous Peoples’ Committee (that you’ll recollect from my last post). This group, made up of elected indigenous representatives from all over the world, advises the board on how FSC can become a better tool for their local communities, and how we can help safeguard their interests.
After all, making certification relevant, understandable and attractive to indigenous communities from North America to Europe to Latin America is truly important.
I recently spoke to Brad Young, an indigenous representative from Canada, elected by the North American indigenous groups to represent them in the FSC Permanent Indigenous Peoples’ Committee. He told me that “FSC is clearly the certification scheme we can work with from an indigenous perspective, and we are keen to find ways to strengthen FSC and make certification benefits even more accessible to indigenous groups.”
Large buyers of forest products are also part of this equation: they need FSC-certified supplies from smallholders and community forest owners. In many cases they can help their smallholder suppliers to become certified, and some are even willing to pay premium prices to ensure certification is attractive.
Helping forest owners – small and large – gain FSC certification, and manage their land responsibly. Becoming even more relevant to these groups is a strategic focus for FSC. And now is the time to take action.