Also in this section:

Principles and Criteria

Current FSCUS Regional Standards

FSCUS Standards Revision Process

FSCUS Standards Review

Family Forests Program

Regional Standards Review:

Executive Summary and Overviews

Final Assessments

Cross-cutting Issues

Background and Supporting Documents

Final Assessments

This Standard Review was directed by an external consultant who worked closely with FSC-US staff. The Standard Review was designed to assess:

If regional standards give clear guidance to landowners; provide a means for assessing on the ground performance; and, whether there are logical or scientific rationale for the current stipulations and regional differences found in the standards.

Public participation in this review has been vital. Comments from FSC members, certificate holders, other stakeholders, and the general public was solicited in two periods – in the development and review of the proposed methodology, and in the review of the final report and recommendations. In continuation of this process to encourage public participation, the results of the Standard Review are being released for a 60-day review and comment period.

The final assessments and results of the Standard Review Process are available here in documents addressing each Principle. These documents are the culmination of work generated by the Standard Revision Process. Comments on these final assessments are of particular interest to FSC-US.

Principle 1: Compliance with Laws and FSC Principles
Principle 2: Tenure and Use Rights and Responsibilities
Principle 3: Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
Principle 4: Community Relations and Worker’s Rights
Principle 5: Benefits from the Forest
Principle 6: Environmental Impact
Principle 7: Management Plan
Principle 8: Monitoring and Assessment
Principle 9: Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forests
Principle 10: Plantations