With the passing of Motion 45/2025 in October 2025, Motion 23/2020 will be concluded with the approval of FSS with revised IFL indicators resulting from M23 pilots in Brazil, Canada, Peru, and the Republic of Congo.
Finalization and further applications of the draft procedure FSC-PRO-60-004 developed to implement M23 will not be pursued.
Mandated by Motion 23: Use landscape-wide approaches adapted to local conditions and strengthen Standard Development Groups (SDGs) to improve protection of Intact Forest Landscapes (General Assembly, 2020), approved at General Assembly 2021-2022 in Bali Indonesia, FSC is developing through engagement with members, SDGs, stakeholders, and partnerships a revised landscape approach for FSC stewardship in forests with high social and environmental values, in particular Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL). As an outcome of this Motion SDGs will be able to implement a landscape approach process to protect and manage IFL following developed, relevant, and published requirements in the normative framework.
At its meeting in August 2023 (BM96) the BoD approved the implementation of “major process” according to FSC-PRO-01-001 V4-0 Development and Revision of FSC Requirements based on a piloting approach, and with the deviations described in the Terms of Reference (ToR).
Motion 23 grants one year to review and revise the current approach to IFL conservation and enable SDGs to identify and recommend improvements to be made. Pilot testing allows the implementation of draft requirements which may result in temporary use of FSC trademarks in the labelling and promotion of FSC-certified products.
While the revision of the applicable normative framework is expected to be completed by 2026, SDGs will be able to implement a landscape approach process, through pilot testing, to protect and manage IFL, which will enable the consequent certification of management units before this date.
Strengthening the approaches for identification, protection, maintenance and/or enhancement of High Conservation Values 2, including IFL conservation at landscape level in National and Regional Forest Stewardship Standards, and enabling SDGs through pilots to identify and recommend improvements to FSC’s normative framework.
Vera Santos, policyinnovation@fsc.org
At BM 96 BoD approved Focus Forest Advisory Group (FFAG) to act as working group for this process.
The FFAG is composed as follows:
Economic North
Alan Thorne (Organization member), Canada.
Economic South
Caroline Duhesme (ATIBT – RoC office), Africa
Environmental North
Grant Rosoman (Greenpeace, New Zealand), Asia Pacific
Environmental South
Leila Syntiche Wolo, (individual member, Benin), Africa
Social South
Alina Liviet Santiago Jiménez (individual member, Mexico), Latin America
Social North
Leo van der Vlist (individual member, Netherlands), Europe
You can stay informed of the developments on this revision process by staying tuned to this process page and by participating in consultations and webinars.
Timeline
The Standard Development Groups of Canada and Peru submitted the revised FSS with revised IFL indicators to the Policy and Performance Unit for review.
Considering the approval of Motion 45/2025 by the members in October, the Secretariat concluded that M23 pilots in Brazil, Canada, Peru and Republic of Congo will finalize upon approval of revised Forest Stewardship Standards. Finalization and further applications of the draft procedure FSC-PRO-60-004 developed to implement M23 will not be pursued.
The Standard Development Group of Brazil finalized the Motion 23 pilot and submitted the revised FSS with revised IFL indicators for review to the Policy and Performance Unit on 19 November.
A webinar on Intact Forest Landscapes was conducted on 13 October, covering preliminary results from the Motion 23 pilots, the current context of the IFL debate, implications of Motion 45/2025 and elements for a new long term approach to IFLs to be presented to the Board in December 2025, considering the IFL discussion paper and members feedback.
The Secretariat has identified concerns regarding integrity and, moreover, the scalability of the motion 23 approach. It is becoming increasingly evident that the landscape approach proposed in Motion 23 would require substantial effort from Standard Development Groups to replicate the process across multiple landscapes, making the process operationally unsustainable.
Additionally, the motion’s concept, which requires demonstration that the vast majority of hosted IFLs within a given landscape are under effective protection, would have limited applicability, especially in contexts where there is little influence or assurance to rely on landscape - level commitments.
The final draft of the Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL) discussion paper was completed and shared with members in English, Spanish, and French for their information. The paper addresses the central dilemma surrounding IFLs and presents three proposals. The first proposal calls for recommitting the implementation of Motion 65, emphasizing a rigorous application of its original intent, including the 80% protection threshold. The second suggests rethinking IFL protection by developing a formal policy that allows for local adaptation. The third is a cross - cutting social proposal that highlights the importance of integrating Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Cultural Landscapes aiming to complement the two proposals.
Republic of Congo has submitted a partial revision of their Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS) to Country Requirements and a document package, as part of the pilot implementation.
Update of DER-STD-60-004_02 V1-1: The updated version includes a revision to Annex 1 that adds Northern Congo as a landscape with confirmed conditions. Certificate holders located in this landscape may apply this derogation, provided they meet all other applicable requirements.
FSC has commissioned the development of a discussion paper on IFL, to review FSC’s role in the definition , management and protection of Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs), including beyond the certification system. FSC is reaching out to several stakeholders to consider the insights of experts, members, Indigenous Peoples and others. There will be opportunities to give input towards or during the FSC General Assembly in October 2025. If you want to be part of the IFL Consultative Forum 2025, please reach out to policyinnovation@fsc.org
Two derogations on IFL requirements became effective on 1 April 2025:
- DER-STD-60-004_01 ‘Exemption from recalculating AAC based on harvestable area and adjusting management plans accordingly’ allows existing certificate holders in countries with registered pilot projects to maintain management plans approved by public authorities before IFL rules became effective. This is permitted as long as implementing those plans does not result in overharvesting outside of IFL core areas.
- DER-STD-60-004_02 ‘Exemption to carry out limited industrial activity within IFL core areas (alternative to exemption regulated by IGI 9.2.7)’ allows existing certificate holders in countries with registered pilot projects and located in pilot landscapes to conduct forest management activities in a very limited portion of IFL core areas landscape dialogues outcomes confirm high protection levels of IFL at the landscape level and strong stakeholder support for lower IFL core area thresholds in correspondence with this exemption.
Peru successfully registered their pilot to test the procedure for developing IFL indicators, as part of the implementation of Motion 23.
Standard Development Groups in Brazil and Canada successfully registered their pilots to test the procedure for developing IFL indicators, as part of the implementation of Motion 23.
The standard developing group of Republic of Congo successfully registered their pilot to test the procedure for developing IFL indicators, as part of the implementation of Motion 23.
A webinar is scheduled to introduce FSC stakeholders to the work related to Motion 23 and the upcoming pilots on 11 July 2024, 16.00 CEST. Please see the webinar presentation here.
The Board of Directors approves the extension of the interim rule in ADV-20-007-18 V2-0 which outlines rules related to the protection of Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs). The interim rule has been extended until 30 June 2026. See the news item here.
Minor changes for clarification have been made to the draft procedure to be piloted by Standard Development Groups (SDGs): Development of indicators for the protection of Intact Forest Landscapes considering the landscape level . Feedback form for countries participating in Motion 23 pilots is uploaded here.
Translated versions: French | Portuguese
Call for applicants to participate in the pilots of the draft guidance and procedure is launched.
The majority of the FFAG endorses the draft procedure to be piloted by Standard Development Groups (SDGs): Development of indicators for the protection of Intact Forest Landscapes considering the landscape level.
FFAG endorses the draft guidance to be piloted by Standard Development Groups (SDGs): Landscape Approach to Intact Forest Landscapes.
29 November: Webinars on the implementation of Motion 23 are organized :
- 9.00 – 10.00 am (CET)
- 16.00 – 17.00 pm* (CET)
*With simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and French.
See webinar presentation here.
Conceptual phase and engagement activities with stakeholders are conducted.
14 September: Director General approves the Terms of Reference for Working Group to revise requirements for IFL conservation.
31 July – 2 August: To address Motion 23/2020 the FSC Board of Directors at its meeting (BM96) approves the implementation of “major process” according to FSC-PRO-01-001 V4-0 Development and Revision of FSC Requirements based on a piloting approach. The BoD also approves the Focus Forest Advisory Group to act as working group for this process. See more information about Focus Forest here
9 - 14 October: Motion 23/2020 Use landscape-wide approaches adapted to local conditions and strengthen Standard Development Groups (SDGs) to improve protection of Intact Forest Landscapes is approved at the General Assembly 2021-2022 in Bali Indonesia.
