Newsletter Stories


Thursday, 20 June 2019
FSC Canada Releases New Forest Management Standard

June 18, 2019


On June 3, 2019, FSC Canada released a comprehensive new standard for responsible forest management after six years of consultation with a broad range of stakeholders.

Addressing the most pressing issues threatening Canadian forests – including the woodland caribou crisis, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and landscape management including the networking of conservation areas – the new standard has the potential to “show the world how 21st century forestry can provide meaningful solutions for collaborative, equitable and sustainable management of our forests,” according to WWF.

Canada has approximately 25% of the world’s FSC-certified forests, and is consistently our leading trading partner because of its abundant forest resources and proximity to the US. FSC expects the new Forest Management Standard to attract interest from forest managers who have been waiting for its completion. For US markets and companies, this means new opportunities for FSC supply and new incentives for chain-of-custody certification.

Citing a recent study showing as many as one million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction, Shane Moffatt of Greenpeace Canada commented, “This is no time for business as usual. Companies that claim they are committed to operating in harmony with our natural world and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples can prove it by getting forests they manage FSC certified.”

The new Forest Management Standard for Canada replaces provincial-level standards, covering the entire country. It goes into full effect on January 1, 2020.

For more information, visit FSC Canada's webpage.