NÚMEROS ATUAIS DA CERTIFICAÇÃO FLORESTAL NO BRASIL

A certificação florestal é um importante instrumento de gestão e garantia da sustentabilidade no setor florestal. Para avaliar o estado atual da certificação é necessário se ter números atualizados e detalhados. Este estudo visou analisar os números atuais da certificação florestal no Brasil. Para a análise, foram utilizados dados disponibilizados nas plataformas da internet dos sistemas FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) e Cerflor/PEFC® (Sistema Brasileiro de Certificação Florestal/Plan for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes), considerando os sistemas e as certificadoras, os tipos de certificação, a localização e os produtos certificados. A maior área florestal certificada no Brasil atualmente é pelo sistema FSC. Há mais florestas plantadas certificadas do que nativas. Minas Gerais é o Estado com a maior área de manejo certificada, tanto pelo FSC quanto pelo Cerflor/PEFC. Imaflora e SCS são as certificadoras com mais certificados e áreas certificadas de manejo florestal. O produto predominante declarado pelas unidades de manejo florestal certificadas é a madeira em toras. Há um número muito superior de certificações CoC (cadeia de custódia) pelo FSC do que pelo CERFLOR. A maioria das certificações CoC refere-se a indústrias de produtos madeireiros, notadamente materiais de papel e de madeira serrada. As certificadoras mais atuantes em CoC são Imaflora, SCS e Control Union. Os números da certificação florestal em manejo florestal no Brasil ainda são modestos, considerando a dimensão de sua cobertura florestal. O mesmo pode ser dito em relação ao número de indústrias certificadas em cadeia de custódia. Por isso há um amplo espaço para crescimento.

Acacia Plantation Development and the Configuration of Tree Farmers’ Agricultural Assets and Land Management—A Survey in Central Vietnam

Since 1990 acacia-based tree plantations have fast expanded in Vietnam, now supporting a multi-billion-dollar export-oriented wood industry which is transforming from woodchip production to value-added products. Within this dynamic context, tree farmer associations have started to produce sawlogs under FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. In this paper, we retrace the development of plantation assets, investigating farmers’ current livelihoods and land management, specifically considering various aspects of sustainability. We interviewed 180 tree farmers in three districts (lowland–upland regions) of Thừa Thiên Huế Province, including sawlog producers with and without FSC and smallholder producers of woodchips. Acacia planting in ‘barren lands’ was initiated through state programs in the 1990s (low-/midlands) and 2010s (uplands). Farmers now producing FSC sawlogs were among the first to gain forestland tenure; they now own large plantations (on good terrain), are in tune with policies and maintain resources/capacities to adopt management in line with FSC standards. Yet, most farmers also retain plots for easy-to-manage and low-risk woodchip production. Soil/vegetation conservation depends on farmers’ status/capacities and environmental awareness; FSC membership added economic-political benefits. Findings are discussed within a regional historic context. Plantations contribute to economic development, but issues persist/emerged in terms of land equity and environmental governance, risks (e.g., plant pathogens), and spaces/impetus for farm-based innovation and adaptiveness.

Perception of Brazilian Companies on the Potential and Concrete Benefits Resulting from the FSC Certification

Concern with the adequate use of natural resources has increased the relevance of products certifications in the wood supply chain, especially in companies established in Brazil, the cradle of one of the largest forest reserves. This study investigates the perception of companies on the potential and concrete benefits resulting from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. To achieve this, a multiple case study was carried out with data triangulation through semi-structured interviews, documentary research and non-participant observation. Four FSC certified industries established in Brazil were analyzed. The results showed that of the four companies participating in the study, only one did not achieve the desired economic benefits, whereas all organizations accomplished the advantages of the other areas of sustainability, both the social and environmental.

The Forest Stewardship Council: Private Governance in Brazil and Russia

NGOs from Brazil and Russia participate in the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a global private governance initiative that promotes sustainable forestry using certification and labeling, contributing to increases in certified forest territory and certified companies in both more democratic Brazil and less democratic Russia. The chapter argues that while Brazilian NGOs participate in FSC more robustly at the national and international levels, FSC has been a more consequential site for mediation in Russia. It argues that differences in Russian and Brazilian NGO engagement with FSC are linked in part to the timing of global governance intervention. Brazilian NGOs achieved some policy goals during earlier efforts to save the Amazon rainforest, while in Russia NGOs leveraged the FSC at a crucial moment following post-Soviet market reforms when forestry companies sought export markets.

Conducting an Evaluation Framework of Importance-Performance Analysis for Sustainable Forest Management in a Rural Area

We established an evaluation framework for sustainable forest management (SFM) development based on locals’ perspectives using the importance-performance analysis (IPA) method in a rural area of Taiwan. It identified the factors that affected local people’s participation in and awareness of SFM based on local demographics, development factors of SFM, and perceptions of SFM, through the logistic regression method (LRM). Both the levels of importance and performance (I-P) of the SFM indicators were rated by the local residents and the differences between importance–performance among indigenous and non-indigenous people were examined. The factors that affected differentiation of local people’s participation in the SFM program were: (1) forestry workers, (2) indigenous people, and (3) SFM development factors. The findings provide both theoretical constructs and policy implications for SFM mechanisms for the forest stewardship council (FSC) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) in a sustainable rural development.

Sustainability certification and legality verification in Indonesian natural forest-based wood products value chains

Indonesian natural forest concessions and value chains are governed by a mandatory Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK), which includes assessment of Sustainable Production Forest Management (PHPL). Concessionaires and processors may also pursue voluntary forest certification. This study explores actors' compliance with these instruments along wood product value chains originating primarily from natural forests. Empirical results demonstrate that SVLK fostered legality compliance in domestic as well as export value chains, but still allows some possible loopholes. It is easier for actors to comply with SVLK than with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, because SVLK has less stringent requirements, and uses an assessment system that allows poor field performance and does not foster continuous improvement of practices. These results identify weaknesses in the architecture and implementation of the regulatory instruments, and suggest measures to strengthen Indonesia's sustainable forest management and timber legality systems.

Análise da certificação FSC em manejo e cadeia de custódia florestal entre o período de 2012 a 2018

O objetivo deste artigo foi analisar o quantitativo de empreendimentos certificados pelo Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) quanto ao manejo florestal e cadeia de custódia florestal (CoC), no período de 2012 a 2018. Com base em dados secundários aplicou-se estatísticas descritas e as médias das operações de manejo florestal certificado e dos certificados de cadeia de custódia florestal anual foram comparadas, quando apresentaram diferenças, pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de significância. Foram ajustadas modelos de tendência para analisar a taxa anual do número e área de certificados em manejo florestal e do número de certificados para cadeia de custódia. Para os meses avaliados não houve diferença significativas para as variáveis área e número dos empreendimentos certificados em manejo florestal e para o número dos certificados em cadeia de custódia. Quando se comparou as mesmas variáveis agora anualmente, houve diferença significativa. Para a área florestal manejada as maiores extensões, em média, foram relacionais aos anos de 2013, 2015, 2017 e 2018. Para o número de certificados em manejo florestal, em média, se concentrou em 2018. E para o número de certificados em cadeia de custódia, no período de 2015 a 2016. Houve crescimento do quantitativo de empreendimentos certificados FSC em manejo florestal (5,50) e cadeia de custódia (2,37). No entanto, mesmo com tendência de aumento no número de certificados quanto ao manejo florestal houve redução no tamanho das áreas manejadas (-0,26), resultando em áreas menores, em cerca de 21.888,5 ha.

Performing an FSC audit

PurposeThe Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) intends to promote responsible forestry through its certification scheme. The primary engine that drives this promotion is auditing. Audits serve a dual purpose: they make forest managers accountable for their claim of meeting the FSC standard, and they make the actions of auditors and auditee account-able, or able to be put into an account. The latter of these is rarely investigated, despite it being crucial to understanding how FSC audits are done.Design/methodology/approachThis article examines FSC forest certification audits as practices where the FSC standards gain meaning. In-depth analysis of these practices enables insight into how different values related to forest certification and auditing are articulated and negotiated in practice, characterizing particular modes of auditing. In this paper, the authors examine the practices of FSC forest management auditors in multi-day audits in Africa and in Spain. Their materials were analyzed and coded using Goffman’s elements of dramaturgy.FindingsThe authors’ findings show that auditing practices entail a series of nested performances in which the auditors and auditees interact together and in which front stage and back stage performances constantly alternate as auditors and auditees perform for each other and simultaneously for an absent audience.Originality/valueThe authors’ analysis demonstrates how in these performances, professional values related to following auditing rules and ensuring that audits are rendered account-able in a particular way take a prominent position. This risks overshadowing the accountability of the FSC system which is ultimately grounded in its ambition to improve forest conservation and management.