FSC and closer-to-nature forestry: enhancing synergies

Bonn, 14 May 2025 – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) acknowledges the recent Milieu study conducted on behalf of the European Commission assessing how forest certification systems align with Closer-to-Nature Forest (CNF) Management Guidelines. The findings confirm that FSC standards already reflect core CNF principles in several EU countries and highlight FSC’s ability to balance environmental, social, and economic values in forest management. 

With over 70 million hectares certified in Europe and more than 160 million globally, FSC is the pioneer of forest certification . Since 1994, FSC has united environmental, economic, and social stakeholders under a transparent, independently verified, and continuously evolving system. Our standards are rooted in real-world forest management and evolve using cutting edge innovation such satellite and blockchain monitoring. 

The report recognises the maturity and credibility of FSC stating: “these standards have evolved over decades of practical implementation and refinement, likely reflecting more closely the complex realities of forest management and the forestry sector in terms of its operations on the ground.” The message is clear: we should build on proven systems, not reinvent them. 

Independent research, including a 2024 Nature study, further confirms that FSC-certified forests better protect biodiversity than non-certified forests. 

“To be credible, both forest management and certification must evolve—guided by science, regulation, social and environmental needs, and specific forests contexts, in Europe and globally. That’s exactly what we do at FSC.” said Matteo Mascolo, EU Affairs Manager, FSC International. 

National FSC standards in countries like Germany, Romania, Slovenia, and Poland already incorporate CNF elements such as promoting natural regeneration, species diversity, and structural complexity. As highlighted in the study, other FSC national standards are already undergoing revision to incorporate further biodiversity-friendly practices. Furthermore, the whole FSC system is continuously evolving. We are currently revising our Principles and Criteria and moving towards outcome orientation. The evolution of our standards and system will be discussed at the FSC General Assembly taking place in October 2025 in Panama.  

As a global multi-stakeholder system, FSC is ready to work with the European Commission, Member States, forest owners, Indigenous Peoples, NGOs, and businesses to ensure that Europe’s forests are resilient, biodiverse, and sustainably managed—now and for future generations. 

Contacts & queries 

Please contact the FSC representatives of the EU Commission Forest Platform:

• Matteo Mascolo, FSC's Lead EU Affairs & Engagement: m.mascolo@fsc.org 
• Marion Karmann, FSC's Senior Research Relations Manager: m.karmann@fsc.org 

Find more information on FSC's engagement in the platform here.