Abstract This dissertation explored sustainable forest management from multiple perspectives: a literature-based investigation to define management practices that sustain ecological, economic, and social forest resources over time; a field-based research project to identify management practice differences between Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified, and uncertified properties in Maine; and a field-based research project to identify stand structural differences between FSC certified and uncertified properties in Vermont. Based on an extensive literature review, we developed an iterative decision-making framework of goal-setting/implementation/ monitoring/review that could assist forest owners in choosing management practices to sustain ecological, economic, and/or social capital over multiple time frames. Our unique contribution is the identification of six concrete management concepts at the implementation phase: (1) BMPs/RIL, (2) biodiversity conservation, (3) community forestry, (4) forest protection, (5) sustained forest product yield, and (6) triad forestry. Forest owners can implement practices under one or more of these concepts to achieve their sustainability goals. We illustrate a hypothetical application of our framework with a case study of an FSC certified managed natural forest in the lowland tropical region of Costa Rica. In the white pine forests of south-central Maine, we compared three FSC, SFI, and uncertified private properties against local scale Montreal criteria using triangulation of evidence from management documents, staff interviews, and field inspections. Certified properties were associated with improved internal management systems and improved practices for biodiversity conservation. However, our data suggest that certification does not necessarily involve fulfillment of all Montreal criteria, such as adherence to sustained timber yield, consideration of multiple social issues, or ecological monitoring at multiple temporal and spatial scales. In northern hardwood stands in central Vermont, we compared three FSC certified and three uncertified that were analogous in terms harvesting date, silvicultural treatment type, forest type, and general location. The uncertified sites were randomly selected to remove bias. We conducted stand structural analysis of both live trees and standing and downed coarse woody debris, and also developed 10-year growth projections using FVS/NE-TWIGS. Our data suggest that FSC certified stands had similar timber economic value, similar live tree structure, and similar tree carbon storage, but significantly greater residual coarse woody debris than comparable uncertified harvested stands.

The objective of this study is to investigate the economic impacts of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on global trade of forest products. Global Forest Products Model (GFPM) is used to predict export, import and net trade quantity of several forest products from year 2006 to 2056. The simulation findings suggest that: (1) Under the assumption that FSC certification plays negative effects on forest stock, Europe reduced sawnwood export; while Ireland became the net importer of sawnwood and wood pulp for next fifty years. (2) Under the assumption that FSC certification has no effects on forest stock, North America, Europe and Asia became the three major sawnwood importers; Europe and North America dominated sawnwood export; Africa significantly expanded its market share of sawnwood export from 1.3% in 2006 to 8.8% in 2056. Africa and Asia became the two largest importers of fuelwood. (3) Under the assumption that FSC certification plays positive effects on forest stock, Europe increased its export of sawnwood; Ireland became the net exporter of sawnwood and wood pulp since 2026. However, FSC certification has no impact on the trend of forestry stocks and products in Canada.

The objective of this study is to investigate the economic impacts of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on global trade of forest products. Global Forest Products Model (GFPM) is used to predict export, import and net trade quantity of several forest products from year 2006 to 2056. The simulation findings suggest that: (1) Under the assumption that FSC certification plays negative effects on forest stock, Europe reduced sawnwood export; while Ireland became the net importer of sawnwood and wood pulp for next fifty years. (2) Under the assumption that FSC certification has no effects on forest stock, North America, Europe and Asia became the three major sawnwood importers; Europe and North America dominated sawnwood export; Africa significantly expanded its market share of sawnwood export from 1.3% in 2006 to 8.8% in 2056. Africa and Asia became the two largest importers of fuelwood. (3) Under the assumption that FSC certification plays positive effects on forest stock, Europe increased its export of sawnwood; Ireland became the net exporter of sawnwood and wood pulp since 2026. However, FSC certification has no impact on the trend of forestry stocks and products in Canada.

The challenges faced by the Brazilian forest industry dealing with the natural forests and plantations have provided favourable ground for the establishment of forest certification. This study presents the first investigation of the two certification systems (FSC and Cerflor) in Brazil from the private sector perspective. Through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), market, learning, and signaling were validated as governance mechanisms of forest certification in Brazil. The results from the importance and performance analysis (IPA) indicated that companies did not see any return in terms of a better price for certified products; however, they demonstrated high satisfaction with the performances of non-economic benefits. Descriptive statistics revealed external pressures influencing companies to pursue forest certification and overall accomplishments of certification from economic, social and ecological points of view. Finally, suggestions for future research and conclusions are made in order to provide information for the industry, certification systems, and the Brazilian government.

The challenges faced by the Brazilian forest industry dealing with the natural forests and plantations have provided favourable ground for the establishment of forest certification. This study presents the first investigation of the two certification systems (FSC and Cerflor) in Brazil from the private sector perspective. Through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA), market, learning, and signaling were validated as governance mechanisms of forest certification in Brazil. The results from the importance and performance analysis (IPA) indicated that companies did not see any return in terms of a better price for certified products; however, they demonstrated high satisfaction with the performances of non-economic benefits. Descriptive statistics revealed external pressures influencing companies to pursue forest certification and overall accomplishments of certification from economic, social and ecological points of view. Finally, suggestions for future research and conclusions are made in order to provide information for the industry, certification systems, and the Brazilian government.

No description available.

The proliferation of market-based policy instruments for governing the global forest commons has resulted in a proposed internationalization of the institutional arrangements, policy standards, and certification practices for assessing the ‘quality’ of forest management systems worldwide. Yet, like other global environmental governance systems before it, proposals for a universalized approach to forest certification have yet to come to fruition. Drawing on insights provided by Malaysia’s efforts to develop and operationalize the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS), I argue that standardization of forest certification systems worldwide is an unlikely and, more importantly, undesirable approach to forest governance. The central findings of this dissertation are thus as follows: 1) Despite many ‘on paper’ changes, the Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) remains the most powerful actor within the MTCS. As an end result of an uneven distribution of rulemaking authority within the MTCS, the quasi state MTCC continues to dominate a distinctively monopolar MTCS institutional environment; 2) The current configuration of organizations involved in the day-to-day operations of the MTCS is reliant on a small, insular and tight knit group of similarly trained individuals who rely upon a single episteme that elevates state-conferred knowledge above all other ways of knowing; and, 3) Despite this state-derived episteme being a central component of the MTCS epistemic community, the audit process is far more ad hoc than planned. Instead of following a bureaucraticallyprescribed checklist approach to auditing, MTCS auditors simultaneously draw on the technical skill set that auditing demands (technê) and a more localized and contingent performance of their expertise (mētis) in order to make informed judgments. In summary, the MTCC and its scheme represent a highly contextualized approach to forest certification that values national priorities and local circumstances over international standards and norms. As a result, the case of Malaysia’s national forest certification scheme simultaneously challenges the state-derived episteme through which forestry experts are professionalized and, more broadly, the notion that forest certification systems can ever be fully standardized.

O trabalho teve como objetivo analisar como as empresas comunicam ao público externo, por meio do resumo público de auditoria, suas dificuldades (representadas pelas não conformidades) para atender aos requisitos socioambientais da certificação FSC. Foi considerada a influência da configuração da auditoria na comunicação às partes externas. Foram coletados dados secundários de 95 resumos públicos das auditorias executadas entre 2010 e 2015, analisados pela técnica da análise de conteúdo com o intuito de identificar as principais áreas temáticas as quais as não conformidades evidenciadas se referiam, sendo mapeado um total de onze áreas temáticas. Com base em análise estatística descritiva (testes de Kruskal Wallis e Chi quadrado) buscou-se identificar as relações entre as características das auditorias definidas (Tamanho da equipe auditora, Diversidade na formação da equipe, Tempo de auditoria, Empresa certificadora e Evento de auditoria) e as áreas temáticas identificadas. Atendimento à legislação do trabalho; Plano de manejo; Qualidade do monitoramento do sistema; e Comunicação e relacionamento com o público foram as áreas temáticas com maior quantidade de não conformidades. Identificou-se que, com exceção de casos específicos, não há relações significativas entre as características das auditorias e a comunicação de não conformidades. No entanto, isso não quer dizer que a maneira como a auditoria ocorre não influencie a qualidade dos resultados obtidos, pois há outros fatores, como a qualidade e veracidade das não conformidades apontadas, a ser considerados. Os relatórios públicos de auditoria representam um avanço na comunicação dos resultados socioambientais obtidos, que convergem com a necessidade de transparência da certificação. Entretanto, há de se evoluir na busca da divulgação de resultados de maneira mais clara e organizada e na relação com comunidades do entorno dos empreendimentos florestais / The study aimed to analyze how companies communicate to the public through the public summary of audit their difficulties (represented by the non-conformities) to meet the environmental requirements of FSC certification. The influence of the configuration of the audit was considered on the results obtained in the process, results these communicated to external parties. We collected secondary data from 95 public summaries carried out between 2010 and 2015, analyzed by the content analysis technique in order to identify the main thematic areas which non-conformities referred, and mapped a total of eleven thematic areas. Based on descriptive statistical analysis (Kruskal Wallis test and Chi square) sought to identify the relationship between the characteristics of the audits defined (Size of the audit team, Diversity in the training of staff, Audit time, Certifying company and Audit event) and thematic areas identified. The Compliance with labor legislation; Management plan; Quality of system monitoring; Communication and relationship with the public were the thematic areas with the highest number of non-conformities. It was found that, except for specific cases, there is no significant relationship between the characteristics of the audits and the disclosure of non-conformities. However, this does not mean that the way the audit happen not influence the quality of the results, as there are other factors such as the quality and truthfulness of non-compliances identified to be considered. Public reports represent a breakthrough in communication of socioenvironmental results obtained, converging with the need for transparency in the certification. However, is necessary to evolve in pursuit of disseminating results in a more clear and organized way and at the relation with the communities that surrounding enterprise

O trabalho teve como objetivo analisar como as empresas comunicam ao público externo, por meio do resumo público de auditoria, suas dificuldades (representadas pelas não conformidades) para atender aos requisitos socioambientais da certificação FSC. Foi considerada a influência da configuração da auditoria na comunicação às partes externas. Foram coletados dados secundários de 95 resumos públicos das auditorias executadas entre 2010 e 2015, analisados pela técnica da análise de conteúdo com o intuito de identificar as principais áreas temáticas as quais as não conformidades evidenciadas se referiam, sendo mapeado um total de onze áreas temáticas. Com base em análise estatística descritiva (testes de Kruskal Wallis e Chi quadrado) buscou-se identificar as relações entre as características das auditorias definidas (Tamanho da equipe auditora, Diversidade na formação da equipe, Tempo de auditoria, Empresa certificadora e Evento de auditoria) e as áreas temáticas identificadas. Atendimento à legislação do trabalho; Plano de manejo; Qualidade do monitoramento do sistema; e Comunicação e relacionamento com o público foram as áreas temáticas com maior quantidade de não conformidades. Identificou-se que, com exceção de casos específicos, não há relações significativas entre as características das auditorias e a comunicação de não conformidades. No entanto, isso não quer dizer que a maneira como a auditoria ocorre não influencie a qualidade dos resultados obtidos, pois há outros fatores, como a qualidade e veracidade das não conformidades apontadas, a ser considerados. Os relatórios públicos de auditoria representam um avanço na comunicação dos resultados socioambientais obtidos, que convergem com a necessidade de transparência da certificação. Entretanto, há de se evoluir na busca da divulgação de resultados de maneira mais clara e organizada e na relação com comunidades do entorno dos empreendimentos florestais / The study aimed to analyze how companies communicate to the public through the public summary of audit their difficulties (represented by the non-conformities) to meet the environmental requirements of FSC certification. The influence of the configuration of the audit was considered on the results obtained in the process, results these communicated to external parties. We collected secondary data from 95 public summaries carried out between 2010 and 2015, analyzed by the content analysis technique in order to identify the main thematic areas which non-conformities referred, and mapped a total of eleven thematic areas. Based on descriptive statistical analysis (Kruskal Wallis test and Chi square) sought to identify the relationship between the characteristics of the audits defined (Size of the audit team, Diversity in the training of staff, Audit time, Certifying company and Audit event) and thematic areas identified. The Compliance with labor legislation; Management plan; Quality of system monitoring; Communication and relationship with the public were the thematic areas with the highest number of non-conformities. It was found that, except for specific cases, there is no significant relationship between the characteristics of the audits and the disclosure of non-conformities. However, this does not mean that the way the audit happen not influence the quality of the results, as there are other factors such as the quality and truthfulness of non-compliances identified to be considered. Public reports represent a breakthrough in communication of socioenvironmental results obtained, converging with the need for transparency in the certification. However, is necessary to evolve in pursuit of disseminating results in a more clear and organized way and at the relation with the communities that surrounding enterprise

This eassy assesses the recent trend of transnational private governance by analyzing the multiple functions and impacts of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), one of the most representative institutions in global environmental governance. After clarifying the general context of global governance, civil society and the rise of transnational private certifying, this article compares different interactive processes between the FSC and the government. This article concludes different patterns of how the FSC interacts with a country. Moreover, by interviewing the enterprises in Taiwan, this article sums up how the FSC crosses over the nation borders and achieves transnational governance through private certification.