| European
Tropical Forest Research Network |
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN BRAZIL AND THE ROLE OF FSC FOREST CERTIFICATION
By Andre de Freitas
It is very likely that FSC certification has been the initiative that has had the greatest impact on world forestry in the last ten years. At least, this has been the case as far as Brazil I concerned. Forest certification in the FSC system can be considered a global phenomenon, with basic standards and rules applicable to all forests in the world. Besides that, in many cases, operations that seek certification in developing countries are oriented towards foreign markets, for which FSC can provide an advantage.
Forest certification in the FSC system is helping to change the face of forestry in Brazil by providing a way to increase the importance of social and environmental aspects in decision-making processes. This is done through a credible identification of SFM initiatives, which provides market and image benefits to forest operations.
Changing outlook
The outlook for sustainable forest management has changed dramatically in Brazil
in the last decade. In 1993, for example, attempts at managing forests sustainably
were restricted to a few isolated research initiatives.
In 1995, a group named Precious Woods started a forest operation with the objective of implementing a sustainable forest management proposal. With this in mind, they invested in forest areas, equipment, training and personnel. The operation was called Mil Madeireira Itacoatiara and was located close to Manaus.
Certification was deemed crucial for the project, which was aimed at the European market, and in 1997 their operation received FSC certification. To achieve this, they had had to recognise the land rights of traditional communities living inside the forest areas adopt reduced impact logging practices and provide good working conditions for employees.
Challenges
Mil Madeireira had to deal with a great many challenges. There was no similar
operation in Brazil that had proved that SFM would work, or that it would be
economically viable. The species being managed were unknown on the market and
were hard to sell. In its first years, Mil Madeireira did not break even and
the tropical forest industry was quite content to carry on conducting business
as usual, claiming that sustainable forest management did not work and things
should stay the way they had always been.
Then, it all started to change. Some of the historically unsustainable operations started similar sustainable forest management and FSC certification initiatives. The Precious Woods operation broke even, proving that sustainable forest management was indeed a sound business. Considering Mil Madeireira part of a learning curve, they decided to start another forest operation in the Amazon, which was certified a little over six months after it started. Precious Woods also became the first tropical forestry enterprise in the world to be listed on the stock market .
The situation today
Currently, there are five FSC certified large forest operations in the Brazilian
Amazon and several others engaged in the certification process. Together, they
represent the most advanced commercial forestry initiative in the country. The
changes made are related to working conditions, health and safety, food and
lodging for workers, increased planning and reduced impact on the forest, better
efficiency of forest operations and, more recently, the use of ecological criteria
for the management of species or groups of species.
FSC certification has been a key element in this process, facilitating changes through an independent assessment of social, environmental and economic issues related to forestry. In many cases, certification has enabled forest managers to gain leverage with regard to implementing better forestry practices on the ground.
Certification has also impacted community forestry in Brazil. Community forestry in the country has gained momentum in the last five years, with several initiatives throughout the Amazon. According to a recent estimate, there are more than 15 community forest projects in the region.
Most of these projects are supported by NGOs or social movements and, in a few cases, by research institutions such as Embrapa. In general, the term community forestry in the Brazilian Amazon has a very broad understanding and comprehends any forestry initiative that involves traditional communities, such as rubber tappers and riverside populations (ribeirinhos), peasants and indigenous peoples.
FSC certification has been of interest to these projects, as it provides a means of improving forest management, guaranteeing to donors and stakeholders that the initiative is working towards sustainable forest management and providing a market differentiation for their products, and sometimes, even a price premium.
At present, there are three community forest operations certified in the Brazilian Amazon and close to ten others in the process of becoming certified or that are interested in the issue. There is also a growing trend to certify community forest management of non-timber forest products. This has been largely led by a demand from the cosmetic industry, which is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of responsible sourcing of their inputs.
Further information:
Andre de Freitas, Executive Director IMAFLORA
Caixa Postal 411
CEP 13400-970
Piracicaba - SP
Brazil
E-mail: andre@imaflora.org
Website: http://www.imaflora.org