Those businesses or organizations that meet or exceed FSC standards are awarded certification and may label their products with the FSC trademark logo, verifying that they came from well-managed forests. What Certification Means to Consumers By tracking wood from forest to final product, certification enables consumers to support responsible forestry and provides forest owners with an incentive to maintain and improve forest management practices. The forest products industry is a complex web of interrelationships between producers, suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and customers. Beyond their direct customers and suppliers, companies rarely know where their wood comes from, nor where it ends up. This complex web does not provide a mechanism for consumers to reward forest stewardship practices.
Certification provides a mechanism for linking consumers and producers in the marketplace.
The direct costs of a forest assessment include the initial audit fee, and an annual audit fee. The indirect costs of the assessment may include increased staff costs, increased forest monitoring , additional management planning, increased inventory, and changes in harvesting methods. The indirect costs may include additional space to separate products, retooling of a mill, and staff training to ensure separation of products. The direct benefits of forest assessment may include higher stumpage prices and better marketing leverage. The indirect benefits may include higher staff morale, better public image, and better control of inventory and planning.