FSC IC commissioned a study by SmartCert to provide information to FSC members to make an informed decision regarding the new conversion policy that would allow certification of forests converted after 1994 under certain conditions.
FSC IC commissioned SmartCert to identify the potential for certification (area, volume) in Chile and Indonesia if the policy came into effect. We assumed that the conditions for certification of plantations established following a post-1994 conversion would include the obligation to restore an area equivalent and proportional to the converted area and to remediate the social damage associated with the conversion. Using satellite imagery and a geographic information system (GIS), SmartCert estimated the total area available for restoration and/or plantation development on post-1994 conversion in each country and conducted a study on the social and environmental impact of conversion.
Read the full report:SmartCert_FSC_ConversionPolicy_CaseStudy_V5