Sustainable forest management is central to NativState’s mission and our landowners’ goals of being good stewards and improving the landscape over time. Forest certification actively supports those goals. It provides a proven process to document landowners’ sustainable forest management practices and plays a critical role in unlocking the full value of forest carbon credits. Participation in a forest certification program is included in each enrolled landowner’s Forest Management Plan and Carbon Agreement.
What is Sustainable Forestry Certification?
Forest certification is essentially a stamp of approval showing that land is managed sustainably — balancing timber production, wildlife habitat, water quality, and other environmental values. It comes with perks, like stronger market access and, in some cases, a commitment that credits are already sold.
NativState works with three forest certification organizations.
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
This is an internationally recognized certification that’s widely respected for its environmental standards. It’s often preferred or required by carbon credit buyers. FSC is the “gold standard” in the Voluntary Carbon Market. - Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
Another major certifier in North America, SFI focuses on sustainable forest management, especially for larger tracts and industrial owners. - American Tree Farm System (ATFS)
Designed for family forest owners, this program is designed for smaller properties and folks managing their land for both timber and conservation.
All these systems involve setting up a management plan tailored to the landowners’ goals, documenting management practices, and having a forester and auditor review.
Enrollment in a sustainable forest certification program is a requirement for all NativState projects and landowners choose in which program to enroll. Credits from land with the FSC certification are in greater demand. Credits associated with land enrolled with FSC are the highest value credits NativState produces, and many of these credits are a core component of the long-term offtake agreements we have signed with our corporate partners. Although FSC is the most stringent, the rewards are greater and NativState makes the process smooth.
Forest Certification Complements Carbon Projects
Enrolling in a certification program provides additional layers of certification, reporting, and monitoring that ensures that these forests are being managed responsibly for long-term ecological health and carbon storage. This credibility is essential in the carbon market, where buyers want assurance that the carbon sequestration they’re paying for is real, measurable, and lasting.
Certified forests are more likely to be seen as additional, permanent, and well-managed – all key to carbon credit integrity. Certification signals environmental co-benefits, such as habitat improvement, biodiversity protection, and improved water quality.
Many carbon registries require proof that enrolled land is being managed sustainably over the long term. Certification helps verify that. It tells carbon registries and buyers that the forest isn’t just storing carbon today—but also that landowners are committed to keeping those trees growing, healthy, and protected for years to come.
Ultimately, certification boosts the integrity of credits, making land more valuable both environmentally and economically.
Benefits for Landowners
Access to Carbon Markets and Income Potential:
- Certification provides small landowners increased access to the Voluntary Carbon Market, allowing them to earn income by keeping their forests intact and well-managed.
- Certified forests usually return higher carbon credit prices because of more robust co-benefit claims.
- Group certification programs reduce administration burden and expense for individual landowners.
- Every long-term purchase agreement NativState has entered with corporations for multi-year offtake agreements of our high-quality carbon credits has required a high level of participation in sustainable forestry programs,
Forest Health and Resilience:
- Certification ensures best practices to protect biodiversity, water quality, and long-term productivity.
- Certified management plans promote climate resilience.
Legacy and Stewardship
- Forest certification aligns with family forest owners’ commitment to sustainability and conservation.
- Certification gives landowners the tools and structure to ensure their forest is healthy and well-documented for the next generation.
Risk Mitigation
- Certified forests are better prepared for changing regulatory or market standards.
- Certification protects landowners from being taken advantage of by outside entities and may reduce scrutiny in the event of land use or carbon project performance disputes
Understanding the Three Primary Sustainable Forestry Programs
| Feature | FSC | SFI | ATFS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Environmental & social rigor | Balanced sustainability | Small private landowners |
| Scale | Global | US & Canada | US only |
| Stringency | Requirements for reporting, monitoring and annual audits | Moderate | Less strict (for small-scale needs) |
| Target Audience | International, eco-conscious | Industrial, commercial forestry | Family forests, small landowners |
| NGO Support | Strong – FSC is a globally recognized standard | Mixed | Generally supportive |
| Clearcutting Limits | Strict | More permissive | Less strict |
| Market Recognition | High – it is almost always mandatory | Somewhat important | Low importance |
| Impact on Carbon Credit Prices | Influential | Moderate | Low influence |
| Importance to Large Carbon Credits Buyers | High – it is nearly mandatory | Somewhat important | Little importance |
Getting Started
NativState pays for forest certification, navigates the process for landowners and bears most of the administrative burden. Our Registered Foresters are your guide throughout the process of enrolling and managing your forests through our sustainable forestry practices.
If your land is already enrolled with NativState, talk with your NativState Forester or Forest Carbon Specialist to be sure your land is being managed for the highest carbon credit value. If you are a landowner considering enrolling with NativState, contact us for a free forest carbon assessment, During the assessment your Forest Carbon Specialist will discuss certification options and ensure you have a clear understanding of landowner responsibilities under sustainable forest certification.
