Update on FSC US National Forest Stewardship Standard Revision

The final public consultation for the Version 2 standard revision process closed on May 31, 2022.

During the consultation 43 responses were received, representing 75 respondents. By chamber, 28 Economic Chamber responses were received (representing 31 respondents), 10 Environmental Chamber responses were received (representing 39 respondents), 3 Social Chamber responses were received (representing 3 respondents) and 2 responses were received where chamber alignment could not be determined.

The greatest number of comments were received about Principle 2 (Forest Workers’ Rights & Wellbeing) and Principle 6 (Impacts on Environmental Values). For Principle 2, topics with the most comments focused on worker wages and addressing expectations regarding fair compensation for injury or property damage. For Principle 6, topics with the most comments were Representative Sample Areas, Conservation Area Networks and expectations regarding justifying deviations from regional requirements for opening sizes.

Other topics with higher numbers of responses related to engagement with local communities to identify and avoid impacts from management activities; environmental value assessments; rare, threatened and endangered species; riparian management zones (i.e., streamside management zones) and water protections; old growth; and pesticide use.
more at: https://us.fsc.org/en-us/newsroom/newsletter/id/1250

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