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

บทคัดย่อ

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.