One size doesn’t fit all

Small-scale, family and community forests have specific characteristics, such as land size, ownership or internal governance that require tailor made approaches. Finding globally relevant and locally adaptable policy solutions and business or market related tools has been our goal for over 25 years. We have learned to embrace the complex barriers and challenges facing these groups and have created a toolbox aimed towards increasing uptake of FSC certification as well as adding benefit for these constituents. 

In line with our FSC Global Strategy 2021-2026, we have divided our work into three distinct work streams; enablers, market solutions and policy solutions. These are all meant to complement each other to help increase uptake and benefit of FSC certification of small-scale and community forests. 

Policy Solutions

Policy Solutions

The FSC system had always considered small-scale and community forests. Our policies, standards and procedures now take it one step further.

Enablers Community

Enablers

FSC is co-creating solutions that enable families and communities to overcome barriers and get certified through the collective impact model.

Market Tools Box

Market Tools

To support market uptake, we work locally, regionally and globally to create direct benefit for community and family forests.

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Podcast

Forest for the future podcast series. Episode 9: Making FSC relevant for smallholders and communities worldwide. Interview with Vera Santos, Community and Family Forests Program Manager

25.08.20. Smallholders and community forests play a key role in combatting climate change but only a fraction of them are certified to FSC. What is FSC doing to change that fact and make our system more relevant to this very important group of forest owners? Vera will explain more about the solutions they are testing currently, like contractor certification, modular approach to certification and improvements to the group certification standard. 

Journey to FSC front

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Journey to FSC: Explore solutions for community and family forests offered by FSC 

Collect tokens in our virtual forest and learn more about the certification solutions available to make FSC more accessible for community and family forests. 

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Aleksey Kuprikov / Pexels

Building on Experience

"Our toolbox is built on extensive experience with supporting family and community forest initiatives around the world." - Vera Santos, Programme Manager

We have developed policy and market based tools and solutions after trying, testing, and developing internationally recognised and proven methodologies for over 25 years. Dive deeper into our history.