FSC Publishes the Interim National Standard of Sri Lanka
The INS of Sri Lanka has been adapted at the national level to reflect the diverse legal, social, and geographical conditions of forests and plantations in Sri Lanka. The interim national standard (INS) of Sri Lanka will be effective on 01 August 2021.
The standard can be used for both state and private sector organizations working in natural forests and plantations in Sri Lanka, including small and low-intensity managed forests (SLIMF), and applies to non-timber forest products such as natural rubber latex, bamboo, rattan, forest fruits, and nuts too (see section B of the standard for more details).
As forest degradation and deforestation become prominent, the FSC Forest Management standard helps to promote responsible forest management in both state-owned production forests and private sector plantations while contributing livelihood, income generation, and employment for local and indigenous communities. It also provides economic and administrative benefits to the forest managers in the short, medium, and long term. When forests and plantations are managed responsibly, they preserve wildlife habitats including endangered species, and protect water sources such as streams, rivers, and lakes from erosion and chemical run-off.
The INS is based on the FSC Principles and Criteria (V5-2) and the international generic indicators (IGIs). Control Union Inspections (Pvt.) Ltd performed the adaptation process and stakeholder consultation. FSC approved the INS on 19 March 2021.
