Open Knowledge (FSC OK)

The notes were meant to be parts of a book about the first ten years of the FSC. That book will not be completed (at least not by me), but I am circulating these parts for the record. I am very grateful to the Tropical Forest Trust for contributing to some of the costs of drafting this report. FSC was intended to become an international enterprise, operating in a world of enterprises, but it was much more than a dry project set up by bureaucrats. It was the work of living people, often with powerful interests, motivation and egos. It had many of the elements of a campaign or movement, including lively differences between people with different personalities, using very different methods to achieve their ends. The passing years showed that many people shared a long-term vision, but there was also plenty of disagreement, leading to conflicts that were as long lasting as the alliances. The story of FSC is not complete without a sample of these dramas, but perhaps they are best written by someone less involved. So this is a personal history, without getting too personal. It is based mainly on what I saw and heard and read while it was happening.