Targeted FSC certification to increase conservation impact in the Congo Basin

Abstract The forests of the Congo Basin are globally significant for biodiversity, climate regulation, and ecological integrity but face increasing pressures from industrial logging and illegal hunting. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification can mitigate these impacts by promoting sustainable management, yet certification across all Congo Basin concessions is unfeasible, and few are certified today. We conducted a spatial prioritization analysis to identify concessions in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo (RoC), and Gabon where FSC certification would yield the greatest conservation benefits. Concessions were evaluated using five factors: biodiversity value, proximity to protected areas, intact forest landscapes, accessibility, and size. We developed three prioritization scenarios reflecting different conservation goals. Results show top-ranking concessions—very few currently FSC-certified—cluster in south-eastern Cameroon and north-western RoC, and spread across Gabon. By providing maps and a transparent decision framework, our findings support policymakers, NGOs, and industry in directing limited certification resources toward strategic certification for maximum conservation impact in the Congo Basin.