[news_posted_on] October, 24 2013

July 18, 2013
By Geralda Magela*

Small and medium-scale producers of wood and other forest-based products may soon be able to access facilitated certification for their forests. A standard for Small and Low Intensity Managed Forests (SLIMF) has recently been approved. The action is part of a joint effort made by FSC® Brazil, WWF-Brazil and the Federal University of Viçosa, together with companies in the paper, cellulose and packaging sector.

The initiative is a bid to include small-scale Brazilian wood producers in FSC forest certification schemes as a means to expanding conservation and restoration of Atlantic Forest formations; the biome in which most such wood producers are established. The standard, however, is applicable to all such properties in the whole of Brazil and is valid for native forests and planted forests alike, according to the specifications of the respective areas and the intensity of activities.

WWF-Brazil sees the project’s conservation strategy as being directly linked to market transformation. “The increase in the FSC certified area means there will also be an increase in the area of native forests undergoing processes of restoration and regeneration” declares WWF-Brazil’s Conservation Director Michael Becker. In his view the conservation results will include an increase in FSC certified planted forest areas, with a special focus on the small scale planter, and the transformation of the paper and cellulose consumer markets.

The FSC classification “SLIMF” extends to communities, small scale wood producers and companies that manage or exploit small areas or conduct low intensity operations as well as he extraction of non-wood forest products like Brazil nuts, oils and others.
The main purpose of formalising the SLIMF category was to enable the construction of a more appropriate standard, reduce costs and facilitate access to FSC certification thereby stimulating the opening up of new markets.

FSC-Brazil’s executive secretary Fabíola Zerbini states that, “the presence and numbers of small-scale producers and communities are enormous and bringing that public into the system will not only be very positive for the FSC, which will greatly expand the areas under certification and the supply side of good certified wood, but also for the small-scale producers themselves who will be able to improve their production practices and aggregate social and environmental value to their product”.


To obtain SLIMF classification the property must be aligned with one or other of the criteria established by the FSC, namely, the total area of the Managed Forest Unit and the intensity of forest management being practiced.
Forest Certification – Forest Certification is designed to ensure that the wood used in a given product originated from a production process managed in an environmentally adequate, socially just and economically viable manner and in compliance with all the respective legislation in force. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council®. The Council’s overriding aim is to foster and disseminate the rational use of forests and guarantee their long term existence.

* Information provided by Flávia Ribeiro Ferros - FSC Brasil, and Daniel Venturi -WWF-Brazil