Risk assessment of rubber plantations based on non-compliance with the FSC forest management certification standard

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies products from rubber plantations in Thailand for export worldwide. Therefore, access to FSC Forest Management (FM) certification is essential, as it influences the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of Thailand’s rubber plantations. This study assessed the risk of rubber plantations due to non-compliance with the FSC-FM certification standard. The methodology involved four steps: collecting secondary data on rubber planting patterns relative to FSC-FM standard, determining initial risks using content analysis and brainstorming, conducting field risk assessments through in-depth interviews, FSC standard implementation checks, and a forest resource survey, and analyzing data to determine risk levels due to non-compliance using content analysis. Twenty-four rubber plantations were classified into four categories: rubber monocultures, rubber intercropping with wood-based plants, rubber intercropping with non-wood-based plants, and rubber intercropping with both wood and non-wood-based plants. The risk assessment revealed that most plantations were at very low risk (136 indicators), followed by high risk, moderate risk, and low risk (36, 20, and 19 indicators). High-risk factors were primarily associated with compliance with the law. The study suggests that risks related to each indicator should be addressed, and management strategies developed to mitigate these risks before seeking FSC-FM certification. The results of this research are beneficial to plantation managers, organization that promotes rubber plantations, and policymakers, who can use the findings to address the identified risks. They emphasize the development of management strategies and adherence to FSC principles to mitigate risks and improve compliance for expanded FSC certification for rubber plantations.