FSC-US Forest Management Standard approved

The FSC Director General has delivered a positive approval decision for the "FSC-US Forest Management Standard”. The standard was approved on 8 July 2010 and will be effective starting from 8 October 2010.

The revised U.S. Standard marks the end of a three year review and revision process addressing myriad environmental, social and economic values associated with forests, forest management and forest products. The revised United States national standard harmonizes nine regional standards into one national standard to reduce complexity and improve efficiencies in the management and auditing process. Regional variation is maintained in key areas of forest management and conservation where local conditions, including forest types and ecological processes, warrant different management techniques.

All national and regional FSC forest management standards are based on the international FSC Principles and Criteria but adapt these to national and local conditions by adding country-specific or regionally-specific indicators, verifiers and guidance.

The Certification Bodies are required to inform all of their clients in the contiguous US that they shall be assessed against the revised standard from 8 October 2010. The intervening 3 month period between the approval and implementation of the standard is in place for Certification Bodies and forest managers to adapt their systems and management practices respectively to the new standard.

A copy of the standard and associated documents is available at:
www.fscus.org/standards_criteria/forest_management.php

For further information, please contact Richard Robertson, the FSC Policy Manager in charge of coordinating the development of FSC national standards.