Does Sustainable Forest Management Actually Protect Forests?

A team of scientists is now questioning whether sustainable forest management might not be as effective as believed, based on their analysis of timber concessions in the Central African nation of the Republic of Congo. Specifically, they argue that SFM may not have led to less deforestation in Congo. Robert Nasi, the deputy director general for research with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), took issue with the interpretation "that forest management is about reducing deforestation." The goals of SFM and related certification schemes such as those put forth by the Forestry Stewardship Council are in fact much broader, Nasi said. "Certification is not about reducing deforestation," he added. "Certification is about better managing forests."