WHAT IS FSC CERTIFICATION?

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is a market-based, voluntary system for ensuring that wood products come from well-managed forests. Similar to organic certification for farmers, FSC provides consumers a way to support sustainable practices with their purchasing decisions. In recent years the market for FSC products in the Pacific Northwest has grown considerably, with dozens of Northwest retailers now carrying FSC products.

FSC is a global certification system, with a series of ten Principles & Criteria that make up the baseline forest management standard. Within individual countries, that baseline is expanded based on local conditions into a national or regional standard. The Pacific Coast Standard applies here in Washington and Oregon and has been developed by a group of diverse stakeholders over several years.

Certification doesn’t end with forestry however. For a product to be FSC certified, every business in the manufacturing and distribution chain must undergo a ‘Chain of Custody’ audit to ensure that certified and non-certified materials are kept separate and that FSC claims are legitimate.

For information on FSC in the United States, please see www.fscus.org. For international information, please see www.fsc.org.

      Benefits & Fees

      FSC Market Information

      Certification Process

      Membership Application