FSC US Announces Revised Forest Stewardship Standard Approved
Version 2.0 approved by FSC International and set for official publication January 1, 2026
“The revision aligns the U.S. standard with FSC International’s updated Principles & Criteria (V5) and International Generic Indicators (IGIs), while also addressing key stakeholder priorities,” says Amy Clark Eagle, FSC US Director of Science and Certification.
Key updates under the new FSC US Forest Stewardship Standard include:
At least 10% of every FSC-certified forest will need to be in a conservation area – this means more than 3.61 million acres being managed with a focus on conserving environmental or cultural values.
The ability for forest management certificate holders to certify an extensive list of non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
Additional alternate indicators and streamlined conformance help make standard requirements more practical for family forests.
New regional requirement addresses salvage harvests on the Pacific Coast following catastrophic natural disasters.
Traditional knowledge is explicitly recognized in the definitions for both “expert” and “best available information.”
New vulnerability assessment, planning and monitoring considerations that are incorporated into the standard’s adaptive management approach will help foster more resilient forests.
“Seven years of persistence, dialogue, and partnership have brought us here — to a standard shaped by thousands of voices and a shared vision for the future of responsible forestry,” says Sarah Billig, FSC US President.
January 1, 2026 will be the official publication date for Version 2.0 of the FSC US Forest Stewardship Standard and the revised standard will become effective April 2, 2026. This will be followed by an 18-month transition period in which both the current (Version 1.1) and revised standards (Version 2.0) will be valid.
FSC US forest management certificate holders must fully comply with the standard by or before September 30, 2027 when the transition period ends in order to maintain certification.
For more information regarding Version 2.0 of the FSC US Forest Stewardship Standard, visit:
https://us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/forest-management-certification/revised-fsc-us-forest-stewardship-standard-v2-coming-soon
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About the Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council, the world’s most trusted forest certification, is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally sound, socially beneficial, and economically prosperous management of forests. FSC was created in 1993 to set the standards by which forests are certified, offering assurance to consumers and businesses that the wood products they buy originate from well-managed forests. More than 4,000 companies and 160 million acres of forestland are FSC certified in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For more information visit us.fsc.org.
Shawn Collier
Forest Stewardship Council US
+1 713-582-9497
s.collier@us.fsc.org
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