Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs)

Intact forest landscapes (IFLs) are defined as “a territory within today's global extent of forest cover which contains forest and non-forest ecosystems minimally influenced by human economic activity, with an area of at least 500 km² (50,000 ha) and a minimal width of 10 km (measured as the diameter of a circle that is entirely inscribed within the boundaries of the territory)" (Source: intactforests.orgFSC-STD-01-002)

In FSC's Core Principles, Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) are recognized as High Conservation Value areas. FSC aims to sustainably manage IFLs within certified areas, contributing to their protection. Discussions on achieving this have been ongoing for at least 10 years, evolving to seek solutions that consider the broader landscape.

Forest water Brazil
©FSC / Arturo Escobar
IFL history timeline

 

Considering the wider landscape. What does this mean?

Until now, FSC’s solution to certify forest management units overlapping with IFLs has been to establish a single global level of protection of the IFL area within the certified area. The current rule requires 80% protection of IFLs within certified areas across all countries and regions, with two exceptions allowing this threshold to be reduced to 50% in the Amazon and Congo Basin, under conditions specified in an advice note and valid until 2026. (See the advice note ADV-20-007-18 V3 compiled under the FSC Directive on FSC Forest Management Evaluations). 

In the FSC General Assembly of 2022, FSC members passed Motion 23 asking FSC to look into applying landscape considerations when certifying forest management units in IFLs. Landscape considerations look beyond the certified forest management unit, at the surrounding landscape and stakeholders. Such considerations can lead to a diversified and landscape specific protection approach. This will involve developing a set of landscape specific indicators in the national FSC forest stewardship standards, addressing risks and management options for FSC certified management units in IFLs.

Watch this video from the FSC General Assembly 2022, in which FSC and our members explain the importance of a new solution to IFL including landscape considerations.

 

Guidance and Procedure to landscape considerations for IFLs

Since the General Assembly in 2022, FSC has actively engaged with members, researchers, technical experts, interested stakeholders, national offices, and the Focus Forests Advisory Group  to develop a guidance and a procedure to support the national standards development groups in developing a solution to IFLs that is locally appropriate. The Guidance is based on learnings from other organizations working on landscape approaches, on academic insights and papers and on practical approaches from FSC stakeholders and certificate holders. The document covers 5 main topics, including landscape identification, development of draft IFL related indicators, stakeholder identification in the wider landscape, landscape dialogues among stakeholders and finally, monitoring and learning.

The procedure, based on this guidance, specifies the set of requirements for countries seeking to implement context-based, differentiated approach to IFLs. Further information on the technical approach to pilot testing including the guidance, procedure, and associated Terms of Reference is available here.

Pilots to test a new solution for IFLs in FSC

A landscape-specific and differentiated approach, as directed by Motion 23, is currently undergoing pilot testing. Standard Development Groups (SDGs) in countries with IFLs overlapping FSC-certified management units engage in these pilots following the procedure and the guidance developed. SDGs are groups recognized by FSC to develop (or update) standards in its specific territory in accordance with FSC requirements and have representation from the environmental, economic, and social chambers.

 

IFL Pilot map

Pilot timeline

Caribou biodiversity_umbrella species
@FSC Canada/Jérémie Leblond-Fontaine

Resources and Documents

  • Procedure: FSC-PRO-60-004 V1-0 EN Draft 1-1 ‘Development of Indicators for the Protection of Intact Forest Landscapes considering the landscape level’ available in EN | SPA | FRE | POR and also here.
  • Guidance: FSC-GUI-60-004aV1-0EN Draft 1-0 ‘Landscape approach to IFLs: FSC’s approach towards landscape considerations for certification in Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs)’ available in EN | SPA | FRE | POR and also here.
  • Webinar: Implementing Motion 23 on IFLs - Pilots (July 2024) EN | SPA | FRE | POR
  • Terms of reference of the pilots, available here.
  • Motion 23: available here
  • Motion 34 Summary Report: Impact assessments of Motion 65/IFLs: EN | SPA | FRE | POR | RUS
  • An overview of landscape approaches of organizations other than FSC. This document is for information only.  
  • M34 Regional Reports on Impact assessments of Motion 65/Intact Forest Landscapes Congo Basin, Russia, Brazil, Canada
  • Video - Landscape Dialogue in Gabon, April 2022