Forest Certification & Communities in the U.S.

1. Forest Certification& Communitiesin the U.S. For ENVS 295 & FOR/NR 285 Community-based Forestry Cecilia Danks, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Environmental Policy The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont

2. Roles for Communities:in certification process • As a Certificate holder • As a Stakeholder Varies by System! Varies by Type of Operation!

3. Certification Systems in the US Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) • Since 1993, 26 million acres in US • Globally: 113 million acres • 10 Principles & 56 Criteria • 3 chamber governance with strong environmental support Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) • Since 1994, 3rd party 38 million acres in US • US + Canada: 93 million acres • 6 Principles, 11 Objectives • Initiated by industry (American Forest & Paper Assn) now separate SF Board

4. Other forestry “standards” systems • Other International • E.g. PEFC – European; CSA- Canadian • ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems • American Tree Farm System • Since 1941, 26 million acres in US • Recognized by SFI as a wood source • Independent standards & labels • Often 1st party • Often localized, e.g. Vermont Family Forest

5. So… a number of systems, a few major ones. But, not as systematic as one might hope. Will focus on FSC & SFI in US …

6. Types of Operations Certified • Forest Management Operations (the land!) • Private, for-profit • Corporate, Large & Small Private landowners • Public • Local, State, Federal (not Forest Service/BLM) • Other • E.g. University, Tribal, Communal, Non profits professional Resource Managers • Chain-of-custody operations (sawmills, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers)

7. Chain of Authority and Information in Forest Certification

8. How FSC & SFI Address Socioeconomic Issues • Standards • Forest Management Operations • CoC / Procurement • Monitoring Required • Assessment • Public Information

9. How FSC & SFI Address Socioeconomic Issues “One key difference between … FSC and SFI is the extent to which social and economic issues are emphasized.” --- Yale U. Program on Forest Certification 2002 Due in large part to: Governance Mission Geographic scope

10. FSC examines • Social impacts, esp. relationships and rights • Economic viability SFI assumes • “fundamental premise” that social issues addressed by US laws & regulations • Market is most appropriate mechanism to address economic viability

11. FSC Socioeconomic Standards About half of P’s are “social” standards: Principles 1-4, much of 5 and some of 7-10 • P 1: Legal compliance • P 2: Tenure Rights – of owners, community • P 3: Indigenous People’s Rights • P 4: Community Relations and Workers’ Rights • P 5: Benefits, incl. local processing & reinvestment • P 7: Management Plan, incl. describe SE conditions • P 8: Monitoring, incl SE impacts

12. FSC Principle 4: Community & Workers P.4: FMOs “shall maintain or enhance the long-term social well-being of forest workers and local communities.” 4.1 Employment & training for local communities Indicators: • Compensation meets or exceeds local norms • Procure goods and services locally • Give preference to qualified local workers • Participate in civic activities & education • Provide training opportunities to workers

13. More of P. 4 Criteria 4.4 “Management planning and operations shall incorporate the results of evaluations of social impact. Consultations shall be maintained with people and groups directly affected …” 4.5 Employ mechanism for resolving grievances

14. FSC SE Monitoring requirements Principle 8: Monitoring and Assessment “Monitoring shall be conducted -- appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management – to assess the condition of the forest, yields of forest products, chain of custody, management activities and their social and environmental impacts.”

15. Applicability Note for Principle 8: “On small and medium sized forests, an informal, qualitative assessment could be appropriate. On large forests and intensively managed forests, formal, quantitative monitoring is probably required.” my italics

16. Principle 8: Monitoring US Indicators: 2.5 pages specifying biophysical & management data SE Data to be collected: 8.2.d. Environmental and social impacts of harvesting and other operations. 8.2.d.3. Employment generation, creation or maintenance of local jobs, and public responses to management activities are monitored. 8.2.e. Cost, productivity, and efficiency of forest management.”

17. FSC Chain of Custody Certifies ability to keep sources separate, analyzes “risk of contamination”, little about conditions of production Informally, egregious issues, e.g. child or slave labor Allows CoC to sell FSC products with FSC label

18. SFI Socioeconomic Standards For land ownerships: 4.1.1.1.3 Provide recreation and educational opportunities Core #1. A written policy describing public recreation and education efforts, consistent with forest management objectives “Other”… expertise on staff, make presentations to local groups, develop recreational areas,

19. SFI Manufacturing Participants Allows companies to advertise themselves as a “Participant” and use SFI label on all products, regardless of certified SFI content. Certifies procurement system, not conditions of production “This does not imply that any or all of the material originates from SFI-certified forests.”

20. SFI – Socioeconomic Standards For Manufacturing /Procurement Participants: • 4.2.1.1.2 Foster professionalism of wood producers Core #1 Written policy promoting professional training of wood producers Core #2 Support of SFI Implementation Committees which offer wood producer training courses in … e. logging safety; f. OSHA wage and hour rules; … Changing – 2005 standards may be quite different

21. Draft SFI 2005 standards “Principles for Sustainable Forestry Managed forests make a vital contribution to the world by providing economic, consumer, environmental and aesthetic social benefits indispensable to quality of life.” -------------- ------------------

22. Socioeconomic Issues in Assessment FSC • Typically 3 team members: forester, ecologist, and often a social scientist • Mandatory stakeholder consultation -- Smartwood Assessor Training SFI • “At a minimum”expertise in wildlife ecology, silviculture, forest hydrology and operations -- 2002-2004 SFI Verification / Certification Principles and Procedures

23. SE issues that FSC assessors look at: Through self-reporting & stakeholder consultation: • Relationships • with employees • with neighbors • with community --A good corporate citizen • Dispute Resolution Process • Contribution to local economy • Economic viability of operation

24. SE Issues that SFI verifiers look at: Ask for documented policies about: • Public access for recreation • Support of training programs for workers • Compliance with labor laws • Good corporate citizen • Volunteer efforts, donations, scholarships • Access for education and research • Addressing impacts of operations on neighbors

25. What data are made public?Public Summaries FSC • Specifies much of content; varies by certifier • About 18-36 page documents • Made public by certifier (on website) SFI • Content varies; considerable company discretion • Made public by company • To date no central or easy access

26. SE info in FSC Public Summaries Includes: • In general description include brief section “Environmental and Socioeconomic Conditions” • Strengths and Weaknesses by FSC Principle • Stakeholders Varies by date, certifier and case

27. SE info in FSC Public Summaries Weakness: “XXX does not conduct any formal social impact assessments or social impact monitoring, e.g. changes in the # of jobs from changes in forest management activities.” Strength: “Although there is not formal social impact monitoring, XXX gains valuable feedback , informally through their involvement in the community.”

28. SE info in FSC Public Summaries In Description or Findings : • “XXX is a major employer in the area.” • “XXX’s employees play an important role in the economic health and social fabric of the region.” • “XXX’s mill employs approximately 200 people from the … area.”

29. SE info in Public Summaries: General statements, little data • “XXX purchases a majority of goods, equipment and services” from local businesses. • “XXX is improving salaries to be commensurate with local standards.” • “Employee compensation … meet or exceed prevailing local norms.”

30. Chain of Authority and Information in Forest Certification

31. Research: social requirements of FSC certification have positive social benefits Stakeholder consultations Concern for relationships, esp. with community See Molnar et al for others

32. Thanks!Questions?