FM Certification for Smallholders and Communities
Tailored certification pathways for small-scale, family and community forests
FSC works with small-scale, family and community forest owners to make certification more accessible, practical and cost-effective. We adapt our certification system to fit their realities, from land tenure and forest size to governance and technical capacity.
Through inclusive development and pilot testing, FSC has shaped certification pathways that reduce barriers and support local implementation. These core certification offerings are part of FSC’s Global Strategy and have proven effective in helping smallholders gain access to responsible forest management.
Community and Family Forests Work Area
FSC Core Forest Management Certification Offerings
FSC offers flexible certification solutions tailored to the needs of small-scale, family and community forests across different regions and contexts
FM Group Standard
Enables smallholders to share certification systems, lowering costs and administration while building collective capacity and economies of scale.
Continuous Improvement Procedure
Offers a stepwise certification path, starting with core requirements and expanding over five years, making FSC certification more feasible and affordable.
Asia Pacific Regional Standard
Tailored to smallholders managing fragmented forests, this standard simplifies requirements while maintaining FSC’s credibility and integrity.
SLIMF and Community Forest Criteria
National standards include specific criteria for small and community forests, simplifying certification and increasing accessibility for smallholders.