How can intensification deliver shared values?
Forestry has been intensified for centuries. Today, amidst rising global demand for forest products and the critical imperative to safeguard our forests, FSC poses a fundamental question: Can we sustainably supply renewable forest materials to a growing population while enhancing biodiversity? And in this process, how do we foster ecosystem services, community resilience, and protect the rights of women, Indigenous Peoples, and workers? Can we identify how forestry practices provide not only enhanced productivity but also positive long-term contributions to achieve environmental and social benefits in the wider landscape.
FSC, together with certificate holders, rights holders and other stakeholders is seeking ways to identify whether and how FSC-certified intensified production contributes to responsible forest management and promotes shared values in the wider landscape.
How do we co-create to identify the contributions of FSC-certified plantations in the wider landscape?
Co-creating shared values in intensified forests involved a collaborative effort among various stakeholders, members, experts, certificate holders, each bringing perspectives and expertise to the discussions. Through extensive engagement sessions, workshops, and forums, we fostered an inclusive environment where ideas could be exchanged.
Main supporters of developing shared values are the Sustainable Intensification Advisory Group (SIAG), established by the FSC Board of Directors, the SIAG consists of six members, equally representing the interests of the social, environmental, and economic chambers of the FSC membership. SIAG is tasked with providing a balanced understanding of sustainable intensification and shared values, promoting broader engagement, knowledge-sharing and collaborative initiatives to support the development of FSC solutions.
"We are a dedicated team of 6 FSC members around the world working on a voluntary basis since 2018 to support the
FSC in it’s efforts to achieve sustainable forest management in a context where forest intensification is no longer
a hypothesis but rather a reality”
- SIAG members
Moving forward: Next steps
To advance the Shared Values project, we are reevaluating our approach. Collaboration with stakeholders and certificate holders is crucial as we identify appropriate indicators and engagement strategies for shared values. Exploring a bottom-up approach and leveraging the "Sphere of Influence" concept in landscape dialogues holds promise. Our goal is to develop outcome-based values. Next steps involve establishing a roadmap, engaging stakeholders, streamlining surveys, initiating pilot projects, and crafting a robust communication plan. We are enthusiastic about launching new pilots soon, expanding into additional regions. The aim is to finalize a methodology and tools for identifying and communicating shared values from intensified forestry by 2025, with applicability across all regions.