Reference guides for technical challenges
Briefing notes - short, concise reference guides from FSC on how to address key technical aspects of responsible forest management for small, community-run and low-intensity forest operations. Available for download in high res pdf.
Environmental impacts briefing notes
Good forest management should include assessing the possible environmental and social impacts of forestry activities. For information about assessing and monitoring social impacts, see briefing on Social Impacts. Environmental impacts briefing notes (pdf)
Group certification briefing notes
Group certification is a way for more than one forest operation to be certified under a single FSC certificate. The certificate is held by one organization or person on behalf of a group of forest owners or managers who agree to participate in the group. Group certification briefing notes (pdf)
High Conservation Value (HCV) briefing notes
FSC forest management standards include several requirements for the protection of environmental values and services from any negative impacts, and also for managing critically important forest areas, known as High Conservation Value Forests (HCVFs). HCV briefing notes (pdf)
Simple monitoring methods
Monitoring is required as part of good forest management. The main reason for monitoring is to improve management. Your monitoring should help you with at least identifying change and understanding impacts. Simple monitoring briefing notes (pdf)
Social impacts briefing notes
Good forest management needs to take account of the impacts that different forest activities can have – both on the environment and on people. The FSC Principles and Criteria ask forest managers to take account of ‘social impacts’ when managing the forest. This means incorporating the results of evaluations of social impact into planning and operations, and monitoring social impacts. Social impacts briefing notes (pdf)
