New Advice Note Aligns Forest Stewardship Standards with Updated SLIMF Eligibility Criteria for NTFP Plantations

FSC has published the Advice Note ADV-STD-01-003-01 to support the alignment of Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) with the revised SLIMF Eligibility Criteria (FSC-STD-01-003 V2-0) for NTFP plantations.

FSC has released Advice Note ADV-STD-01-003-01 in response to an interpretation request concerning the eligibility of non-timber forest product (NTFP) plantations under the revised SLIMF & Community Forests Eligibility Criteria (FSC-STD-01-003 V2-0), effective since 1 January 2024.

The revised version of FSC-STD-01-003 (V2-0) introduced a significant update: under Clause 1.3.1, NTFP plantations can now qualify as ‘low intensity managed’ and therefore meet the eligibility criteria for SLIMF, something not possible under the previous version (V1-0).

Currently, nine Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) – for Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and the Central America Region – still reference outdated eligibility criteria that exclude NTFP plantations. To address this misalignment without requiring immediate revision of the standards, FSC developed Advice Note ADV-STD-01-003-01, providing normative clarification that NTFP plantations may qualify as SLIMF under FSC-STD-01-003 V2-0. This Advice Note ensures consistent application of SLIMF eligibility across countries involved, removes unnecessary barriers for NTFP producers seeking FSC certification, and reinforces the integrity of FSC’s simplified certification pathways.

FSC opened a focused consultation (from 20 May to 17 June, 2025) following the accelerated process outlined in FSC-PRO-01-001 Development and Revision of FSC Requirements. Certification bodies and FSC Network Partners from the involved countries were invited to provide feedback. All participants agreed with the proposed advice and found it clear and easy to understand.

The Policy Director approved the Advice Note ADV-STD-01-003-01 on 24 June 2025 and will become effective on 1 January 2026. This applies to organizations applying for or holding FSC Forest Management Certification, their certification bodies, and all the parties involved in the development or revision of Forest Stewardship Standards. The Advice Note is now available on the FSC Document Centre.

For any questions regarding the Advice Note, please contact the FSC Policy Innovation Department at policyinnovation@fsc.org