Open Knowledge (FSC OK)

In this chapter we evaluate the development and current status of forestcertification in Mexico at the closure of its first decade, from the beginningin 1994 through the end of 2003. It is particularly crucial to analyze theMexican case since, as we shall see below, Mexico has the largest numberof both community forest enterprises (CFEs) and certified communityforests in the world (Bray et al. 2003). The first section of this chapter dis-cusses briefly the concept of forest certification and the various schemesthat exist at the global level, with a particular focus on the Forest Steward-ship Council (FSC), an international program developed to create a globalsystem of operational forest certification. The second section focuses ontheimportanceofcommunityforestcertificationglobally.Thethirdsec-tion looks at the progress of forest certification in Mexico, including dataon the number of community forests evaluated and certified during thepast 10 years. The fourth section looks at the challenges and opportuni-ties that have been identified for these community forests. The fifth sec-tion concludes the chapter with a reflection on the current limitations ofcertification for communities and the need to include other actors andoptions in this process in order to fulfill the objective of improved forestmanagement.