Integrating FSC certification in REDD+ projects: a guideline for Projects Developer.

This guideline consists of a set of concepts, guidelines and procedures useful for integrating the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management certification into the organization of REDD+ projects. This guideline is particularly targeted at the voluntary carbon market, but also provides useful advice for the regulated one. Because in the voluntary carbon market projects are seeking certification under one or more of the voluntary carbon standards, this guideline focuses on the interaction between FSC and these standards. The guideline is divided into three main sections: Section 1 provides background information on REDD+ projects and illustrates the scope and target readership of the guideline and gives an overview of the FSC historical role in the forest-based carbon market. Section 2 outlines the timeline of a REDD+ project comparing it with that of an FSC FM/CoC (Forest Management/Chain of Custody) certification. Categories of actors involved in a REDD+ project and the FSC counterpart are also analyzed. Section 3 provides understanding, identification and management tools to overcome the constraints encountered in the organization of REDD+ projects. In addition, an MS Excel spreadsheet “Guideline FSC-REDD+” is provided as a reporting tool that facilitates the design, organization and implementation of a REDD+ project.