Canada’s revised Forest Stewardship Standard introduces enhanced requirements to protect Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) - large, unfragmented forest areas essential for biodiversity, climate stability, and Indigenous cultural values. The updates will provide for collaborative approaches to enable the best possible solutions on the ground while strengthening responsible forest management across the country.
Preserving some of the world’s largest intact forests
Canada is home to approximately 368 million hectares of forest, including about 211 million hectares of Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) (as of January 1, 2017) mainly existing within the northern boreal. These important forests support biodiversity, store significant carbon, and support the cultural practices of Indigenous Peoples who have lived in and cared for these landscapes since time immemorial.
Canada’s forests are highly diverse, shaped by differing ecological conditions, Indigenous values, social priorities, and provincial approaches to forest management. In this context, a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective, highlighting the need for flexible, landscape-based solutions.
An evolving approach to IFL management
FSC Canada has a long history of working to improve how IFLs are managed. When the opportunity arose to participate in the Motion 23 Pilot, FSC Canada chose to build off almost 10 years of work that commenced with the passing of Motion 65 in 2014.
The process included:
- Public awareness activities;
- Regional landscape dialogues in Ontario and Québec;
- Scenario testing and technical workshops;
- Field testing with certificate holders; and
- A 60-day public consultation.
This enabled the development of normative requirements that support a collaborative, landscape-level approach that:
- Maintains and protects IFLs;
- Respects Indigenous Peoples’ rights and governance;
- Balances environmental, social, and economic values; and
- Enables the long-term viability of FSC-certified forests.
Adaptable protection tailored to landscape realities
The revised standard maintains the existing 80% protection threshold, while also introducing an option to apply a landscape-level approach where, through collaboration, protection levels can range from 30% to 100%, depending on local ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic conditions.
The introduction of this outcome-oriented approach reflects Canada’s diverse forest contexts. It also supports the conservation of biodiversity and carbon-rich ecosystems; protection of Indigenous rights; and long-term resilience of forest ecosystems. By aligning environmental, social, and cultural priorities, FSC certification can continue to provide for responsible forest management within Canada’s forests.
Recognizing Indigenous Cultural Landscapes
The revised standard recognizes that management strategies to support Intact Forest Landscapes also need to consider Indigenous Cultural Landscapes (ICLs).
Indigenous Cultural Landscapes represent broader areas shaped by long-term stewardship, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices. They are living landscapes that hold environmental, social, cultural, and economic value, and are critical to Indigenous identity.
Their inclusion in the standard helps to support landscape-level dialogue related to Indigenous Peoples’ rights, strengthening respectful engagement and enabling forest management decisions that reflect Indigenous rights and values.
What’s next?
To help Certificate Holders, Certification Bodies, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders understand the Standard revisions and how they interconnect with work that supports the implementation of Motion 45/2025, including ADV-STD-60-004_02 V1-0, FSC Canada is hosting the following webinar:
Navigating IFL Revisions and Motion 45 Requirements: How It All Fits Together
Date: July 7, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Registration:
Register for the webinar on FSC Canada’s Zoom platform:
https://ca-fsc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/UlVBbu8iRauDeHi8nRthzA
Coming this Fall, FSC Canada will release an Intact Forest Landscape Guidance document to support implementation of the revised standard requirements. Also this Fall, watch for FSC Canada’s Large Landscape Solutions Webinar Series that will include more information on the implementation of the IFL and ICL normative requirements.
The revised standard, and supporting information on IFLs and ICLs can be found on FSC Canada’s website at Forest Management | Forest Stewardship Council and Intact Forest Landscapes | Forest Stewardship Council
For further information please contact Tina Langille-Hayward at t.hayward@ca.fsc.org.