Family Forests Program
February 22, 2010
FSC members and stakeholders:
We are pleased to announce that draft 2 v3 of the FSC-US Family Forest Standard is now available for the final 45-day phase of public consultation. All organizations and individuals are welcome and encouraged to submit comments. Comments are due on Friday, April 9, 2010.
Click here to download Draft 2 v3 FSC-US Family Forest Standard. This document is meant as a companion document to draft 8 v.1 of the National FSC-US Forest Management Standard.
Click here to download draft 8 v1 of the FSC-US Forest Management Standard, recommended by the FSC-US Board for final approval by FSC-IC.
FSC-US is committed to a consensus-based, inclusive, and balanced process and to engagement with a wide array of stakeholders. Your input is very important to the development of this Family Forest Standard. All comments will be carefully considered by FSC-US staff and the FSC-US Board of Directors.
Comment Process
There are two options available for submitting comments:
- Comment form – Download the Comment form (in word format), and email or mail it to the address below.
- Comment letter – Email or mail a letter detailing your comments on the Draft Family Forest Standard. Please do not submit a track-changed version of the draft standard.
Please send all comments and other correspondence to:
Karen Steer, FSC-US
212 Third Avenue North, Suite 280
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Email: ksteer@fscus.org
Please try to be as specific as possible in your comments – we encourage you to provide comments on specific indicators and guidance language, and to provide alternative language that addresses your concerns.
Please also focus comments on the content being proposed and not on the format. Keep in mind that once the technical language is finalized, FSC-US will integrate the family forest-specific language into the National FSC-US Forest Management Standard. User-friendly Family Forest materials will also be developed.
For more information
Please contact Karen Steer with any questions or comments. ksteer@fscus.org; 503-260-8335
Background
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) strives to ensure equity of access to certification. In 2004, as a response to the challenges faced by small, non-industrial private landowners in accessing FSC certification, FSC passed a policy allowing for streamlined procedures and standards to be applied to small and low intensity managed forests (known in the US as "family forests" and defined as being 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) or less). With the goal of equitable access to certification, FSC National Initiatives, such as FSC-US, are directed to develop forest management standards that take into account the realities of these small operators without reducing the rigor of compliance. In response, FSC-US has included the development of family forest-specific indicators and guidance as part of the process to revise the National FSC-US Forest Management Standard.
This draft Family Forest Standard was developed through extensive consultation with the FSC-US Family Forest Working Group, technical committees and advisors with expertise in FSC certification on family forests, and has also undergone field testing. The Standards & Policy Committee of the FSC-US Board has approved this draft to be released for the final phase of public consultation.
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