Open Knowledge (FSC OK)

Although the newly emergent market economy in Russia has brought danger to Russian forests, particularly old growth forests, the cross-border influence of market forces has also encouraged the importation of sustainable forestry practices to Russia. The FSC has been the major force in this process. More recently, PEFC-oriented initiatives have begun to play a role. This case study describes the processes through which the FSC is being imported to Russia, the relationship between chains of supply and chains of demand, and the effects of FSC certification on local as well as national institutions. It contrasts the relative effectiveness of FSC certification in the European part of Russia with that in the Asian part, where markets currently show less sensitivity to the value of sustainable forestry. The study demonstrates the essential role of environmental NGO networks, especially WWF and Greenpeace, in promoting FSC certification