Forest Management Auditing ─ Certification of Forest Products and Services

Forest management auditing is expanding from its traditional focus on forest management, stewardship and chain of custody certification to more innovative topics such as ecosystem services, forest carbon credits, non-timber forest products, wood energy and fair trade certification. Forest managers, auditors and project developers require a range of skills, capacities and expertise to monitor these issues. This book outlines the market-based tools that are required by such professionals to ensure corporate social responsibility in the forestry sector.

It shows how a mutual learning process between established forest certification processes and innovative markets is needed. It addresses key topics such as the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and High Conservation Value (HCV) approaches, the role of independent certification versus due diligence process and the engagement of smallholders and SMEs. Beginning with a market and policy analysis, the book fosters a deeper understanding of standards, methodologies and auditing techniques. Numerous case studies are included from a wide range of contexts, including both temperate and tropical forests, developed and developing countries. Overall, the book analyses all the steps towards forest management and forest products and services certification.

Lucio Brotto is Climate Change and Ecosystem Services Director at ETIFOR, which delivers Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility services and stemmed from the experiences of the University of Padova Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry Department. He is also a PhD Candidate at the Dresden University of Technology and the University of Padova, Italy, where he also consults on Forest Carbon Markets.

Davide Pettenella is Professor of Forestry Economics in the Department of Land and Agroforestry Systems at the University of Padova, Italy. He has worked with numerous organizations including the World Bank, FAO, European Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ENCC in developing countries and economies in transition.