The Challenges of Certifying Tropical Community Forests: A Case Study From Honduras

Abstract

This article examines the challenges involved in certifying tropical community forestry operations, by drawing on a case study of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified community forest management in Honduras. We identify social, economic, and environmental factors that require increased attention to improve certification as an instrument for sustainable community forest management, and discuss the linkages between these factors. The complexity of resource rights, the heterogeneity of forest users, and the difficulty of small Southern producers in competing in certified markets would need specific attention concerning certified community forestry. Concerning environmental sustainability, the focus in fragmented community forests under low-intensive logging should be directed toward landscape connectivity and forest restoration instead of reducing mechanical logging damage. Finally, without changes to the position of small Southern producers in the global trade networks, the ability of certifications to create sustainable livelihoods is limited.