Forest Stewardship Council®
23 December 2016
Call for expression of interest – pilot testing Ecosystem Services Procedure
Introduction
Through certification, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ensures forests and their ecosystem
services are responsibly managed. We are now developing new tools that will show businesses
and investors that these natural benefits are being preserved and will reward participating FSC
certificate holders for doing so. As FSC enters its third decade, FSC tools to promote ecosystem
services payments are an incentive model that will reward FSC certificate holders for their ongoing commitment to responsible forest management, and help communities preserve the forests
and ecosystems on which their livelihood depends.
The first tool is a common methodology that FSC certificate holders can use to demonstrate the
positive impact of their forest management activities on ecosystem services (biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and storage, watershed services, soil conservation and recreational
services). This demonstration of positive impact will be used as the basis for FSC ecosystem services claims for maintaining and/or enhancing ecosystem services. FSC’s new procedure, Demonstrating the Impact of Forest Stewardship on Ecosystem Services (FSC-PRO-30-002) will provide
the framework for both of these tools.
According to the current work plan a first official draft of this procedure will be ready in February. A public consultation will be held from 15 March 2017 until 15 May 2017 to receive stakeholder feedback. Between the end of February and May 2017 FSC will pilot test this first official
draft of the procedure. Therefore we are looking for forest management organizations that are
interested in participating in pilot testing.
Why would forest managers use this new procedure for ecosystem services?
Ecosystem services support our economy and society. They are essential, indispensable and irreplaceable. We are now developing new tools for FSC certificate holders to access the growing ecosystem services market. Research commissioned by FSC on ecosystem services market conditions suggests opportunities exist for FSC market tools in biodiversity, watershed, carbon and
ecotourism markets.
Demonstrating the impact of forest stewardship on ecosystem services could help FSC forest
management certificate holders gain access to ecosystem services markets and be rewarded with
additional price premiums on timber or non-timber forest products; additional revenue streams
from direct ecosystem service payments; price premiums on carbon credits; and investment capital at lower interest rates for conservation activities and responsible forest management.
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Forest Stewardship Council®
FSC ecosystem services tools can help governments, investors, buyers, and businesses demonstrate the impact their investments have on preserving ecosystem services, and helps communities preserve the forests on which their livelihood depends.
How does FSC’s new procedure for ecosystem services work?
Depending on the impact claim forest managers wish to make, the procedure will describe how
forest managers must measure this impact. Compliance with the procedure will be determined as
part of a forest management evaluation carried out by an FSC accredited certification body. Forest
managers must also be in compliance with additional requirements for ecosystem services as
transferred to a National Forest Stewardship Standard (see Annex C of the International Generic
Indicators). For the pilot test, requirements from Annex C as well as other IGI requirements relevant for ecosystem services will be assessed if the NFSS has not yet been transferred to Version 5.
Objectives of the pilot test
The first draft of the procedure will be pilot tested to gain better understanding of the practical
impacts of its implementation with a particular focus on the clarity and ease of use by forest management organizations as well as the auditability and additional audit costs. Also it will encourage
active involvement of forest managers, businesses and certification bodies in ecosystem services
certification development.
Pilot test preparation and audit
In preparation for pilot testing, FSC will provide the forest management organization and the relevant certification body with online training based on the first draft of the procedure. During the
pilot testing, a staff member of the FSC Ecosystem Services Program (Policy and Standards Unit)
will attend the audit as an observer to gain as much insight as possible into how the procedure
works in practice. However, FSC will have no influence on the auditors’ decisions or the outcomes
of the audit.
Conditions and selection criteria of pilot test sites
FSC aims to include three to six pilot sites in the field testing of the first draft of the procedure.
There are two conditions that forest management organizations participating in the pilot testing
of the ES Procedure must meet:
I.
Demonstrated commitment by the responsible persons within the forest management organization
II.
Ability to communicate with ES-team:
a. Facility in one of the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch
b. Reliable phone and/or internet connection
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Forest Stewardship Council®
The following selection criteria apply for sites interested to participate in the pilot testing of the
first draft of the procedure:
1. Site is FSC-certified (Note: (1) sites certified to Version 5 of the FSC Principles and Criteria
will receive a bonus score under this criterion; (2) we intend to include at least one uncertified site in the testing);
2. Applicant can identify a potential ‘buyer’ that is interested to participate in a testing of the
market value of the approved ecosystem services claim;
3. Applicant confirms the availability of co-finance to fully cover or offset the costs of carrying out the pilot test;
4. Site is located in a region where an FSC regional or national office confirms interest in
payment for ecosystem services / FSC ecosystem services claims.
FSC aims to have a balanced mix of pilot sites included in the field-testing of the first draft of the
procedure. Therefore, besides site-specific criteria the following additional factors will be considered:
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Various ecosystem services will be covered by the mix of pilot sites;
Geographical (and North-South) distribution of pilot sites;
At least one smallholder will be included;
If possible, one plantation will be included.
Next steps
Are you interested to participate in the pilot testing of FSC’s new procedure for ecosystem services? Then please:
1. Fill in the attached form and send it to [email protected] before Thursday, 26 January
2017.
2. Upon submitting your form you will receive a confirmation of receipt including whether
everything is clear or whether additional information is needed. A staff member of the FSC
Ecosystem Services Program may get in touch with you to verify suitability for a collaboration.
3. In the first week of February (latest 3 February), you will hear whether or not you have
been selected as one of the sites for pilot testing.
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