Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) pesticide policy and integrated pest management in certified tropical plantations

Abstract

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was the first non-governmental organization composed of multi-stakeholders to ensure the social, environmental, and economic sustainability of forest resources. FSC prohibits certain chemicals and active ingredients in certified forest plantations. A company seeking certification must discontinue use of products so listed and many face problems to comply with these constraints. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of certification on pest management from the perspective of Brazilian private forestry sector. Ninety-three percent of Brazilian FSC-certified forest companies rated leaf-cutting ants as "very important" pests. Chemical control was the most important management technique used and considered very important by 82 % of respondents. The main chemical used to control leaf-cutting ants, sulfluramid, is in the derogation process and was classified as very important by 96.5 % of the certified companies. Certified companies were generally satisfied in relation to FSC certification and the integrated management of forest pests, but 27.6 % agreed that the prohibitions of pesticides for leaf-cutting ant and termite control could be considered as a non-tariff barrier on high-productivity Brazilian forest plantations. FSC forest certification has encouraged the implementation of more sustainable techniques and decisions in pest management in forest plantations in Brazil. The prohibition on pesticides like sulfluramid and the use of alternatives without the same efficiency will result in pest mismanagement, production losses, and higher costs. This work has shown that the application of global rules for sustainable forest management needs to adapt to each local reality.

Susceptibility of Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae), a Eucalyptus pest, to entomopathogenic fungi

“…Damage by T. peregrinus in eucalyptus plantations and the need for products that comply with forest certification requirements Lemes et al, 2017) show the importance of entomopathogenic fungi for the management of this pest. These studies are significant because B. bassiana and M. anisopliae caused 79 % mortality of adults of N. lugens 10 days after inoculation (Li et al, 2014) and 50 and 60 % mortality, respectively, to D. citri (Lezama-Gutiérrez et al, 2012).…”

Economic Injury Level and Economic Threshold as required by Forest Stewardship Council for management of leaf‐cutting ants in forest plantations

“…In these cases, attacks by LCA on 6‐month‐old trees of Eucalyptus grandis cause a decrease of up to 32% in height, 25% in circumference and a 60% decrease in wood production (Della Lucia, 1993; Cantarelli et al ., 2008). LCA annually produce several billion‐dollar losses, attributed to a decrease in productivity and the costs associated with chemical control (Hölldobler & Wilson, 1990; Pérez et al ., 2011; Lemes et al ., 2017). Their control can represent between 30 and 75% of the total budget bound to pest management in forest plantations (Vilela, 1986; Della Lucia et al ., 2014).…”

Remote Sensing to Detect Nests of the Leaf-Cutting Ant Atta sexdens (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Teak Plantations

“…The monitoring and quantification of damage in forest areas attacked by insect pests using satellite images helps in decision-making processes, making it possible to reduce wood losses [19], environmental impacts, and the use of chemicals for pest control. This meets the requirements of forest certification agencies, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) [25][26][27][28] and the Brazilian Forest Certification Program (CERFLOR) [26].…”