Certification of community-based forest enterprises (CFEs): limits of the Brazilian experiences

The Brazilian Amazon is one of the world’s largest tropical forests. It supplies more than 80 % of Brazil’s timber production and makes this nation the second largest producer of tropical wood. The forestry sector is of major importance in terms of economic production and employment creation. However, the Brazilian Amazon is also known for its high deforestation rate and for its rather unsustainably managed timber resources, a fact which puts in the balance the long-term future of the forestry sector in the region. Since the mid- 1990s, with strong support from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the number of tropical forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has significantly increased. This is especially true for projects sponsored by large scale companies. The number of community- based forest management projects has also increased. Certification of community-based forest enterprises (CFEs) was initially a goal for the sponsors and community members. Certification is viewed as a way to reach alternative timber markets. In Brazil, the state of Acre has the highest concentration of CFEs certified by FSC. Most of them have been implemented with the support of environmental NGOs and public funds. Environmental NGOs strongly defend the advantages of certification for communities; however, in reality, this option is not that advantageous. Despite all the efforts, the number of participants in each project remains low. Why is this occurring? In this paper, we analyze the underlying motives of a few individual’s participation in CFEs certification projects. We aim to present and discuss some factors that shape the success of CFEs and their later certification. The results are based on surveys conducted in two certified CFEs in the state of Acre. L’Amazonie Brésilienne, l’un des plus grands massifs forestiers mondiaux, est à l’origine de 80 % de la production de bois du Brésil. Les taux de déforestation élevés (malgré un certain ralentissement ces dernières années) et le rythme d’exploitation peu durable des ressources remettent en cause la pérennité du secteur forestier dans la région. Depuis le début des années 1990, avec le soutien du WWF, le nombre d’entreprises forestières certifiées par le FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) a considérablement augmenté dans le domaine privé. C’est aussi le cas, mais dans une très moindre mesure, de l’exploitation forestière communautaire, en particulier dans l’Etat de l’Acre. Les ONGs défendent de manière générale les multiples avantages de ce type de certification pour les communautés vivant en Amazonie. Pourtant, en dépit des multiples incitations financées à fonds perdus, le taux d’adhésion des communautés locales reste faible. Cet article analyse les facteurs responsables de la faible participation des populations aux projets de certification de l’exploitation communautaire des forêts. L’analyse est basée sur des enquêtes de terrains menées au sein de deux communautés forestières de l’Etat de l’Acre certifiées par le FSC.

Keyphrases: philosophy, ethics, economics, Brazil, environmental certification, community-based forest management