FSC reflected in scientific and professional literature

Forest Stewardship Council
credibility. The two supported projects by BDF contribute to this process. FSC Brazil and
partner organizations dedicate much time to lobby & advocacy. With the limited budget
and staff – and the economic forces promoting further forest conversion – they assume influencing
national policies has more impact. Research 80 on expansion along roads in the
Amazon has shown that defining protected areas and indigenous reserves has been effective
in guiding and decreasing illegal encroachment and deforestation. The longer term
developments in Brazil show that (i) policies and regulations related to forests have
changed and are by many NGOs regarded as ‘sound’; (ii) more forest areas are protected
and conserved or under an SFM-regime; (iii) more companies are becoming involved; and
(iv) deforestation continues.
BDF’s findings – in relation to the other FSC assumptions:
• Environmentally appropriate forest management ensures that the harvest of timber and
non-timber products maintains the forest's biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes:
Operations in natural forests and well-managed forests show that this assumption
is correct.
• Socially beneficial forest management helps both local people and society at large to enjoy
long term benefits and also provides strong incentives to local people to sustain the
forest resources and adhere to long-term management plans: FSC certification is beneficial
to local people and plantations workers. Certified plantations are significant for rural
employment and the local/regional economy (taxes). Klabin proves it can also be beneficial
to a larger civil society (e.g. health care) but this does not have to be the case with
other companies. ‘Society at large’ does profit from the fact that forests remain and biodiversity
is preserved and social benefits are more linked to well-being and culture.
• Economically viable forest management means that forest operations are structured and
managed so as to be sufficiently profitable, without generating financial profit at the expense
of the forest resource, the ecosystem, or affected communities. The tension between
the need to generate adequate financial returns and the principles of responsible
forest operations can be reduced through efforts to market the full range of forest products
and services for their best value: In general, FSC forest operations are viable and sustainable.
In the case of Klabin commerce is linked to planted Eucalyptus and Pinus. The
NTFP operations are insignificant in commercial terms. This will probably be true for all
plantations. In natural forests, logging and NTFP can be complementary and provide small
communities (i.e. the forest managers) with an income from diverse sources.
• An important assumption regarding plantations is that plantations can reduce pressures
and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests (principle 10):
80 Note by De Koning 2008: Various articles by a.o. Nepstad, D. IPAM and ISA (2001)
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