According to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the board of directors of FSC Russia has decided to end its contractual relationship with FSC International due to operational and staff concerns amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As of 8 Apr 2022, all services, activities and member-related activities undertaken by FSC Russia will be taken over by FSC International.
This was a precautionary measure by FSC Russia, which will be revisited depending on how the operational environment evolves in Russia.
Certificate holders will continue to uphold their FSC Forest Management certification, and channels of communication will remain open for stakeholders in Russia who are welcome to reach out to FSC International for any questions.
“Over the past 20 years, FSC has helped preserve 61 million hectares of well-managed forests, including 3.5 million hectares of high conservation value forests in Russia which comprise intact forest landscapes. These last large areas of primeval ecosystems on Eurasia are extremely important to climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation,” said Kim Carstensen, director general of FSC.
“We remain committed to our mission of keeping these forests alive and resilient for the future, and we hope to continue our work in partnership with FSC Russia as soon as it becomes possible again.”
