FSC Malaysia conducted a technical training in Sabah to strengthen capacity in identifying, measuring, and demonstrating ecosystem services impacts in FSC-certified forests.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) for their strong support and collaboration, and for hosting the training at the Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sepilok. Special thanks also to Senior Assistant Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr Ismailey Ismail, for opening the event with an inspiring address.

The training brought together participants from Sabah and beyond - including SFD officers, FMU managers, forest licensees, researchers, and academia - reflecting a shared commitment to advancing sustainable forest management.

Sessions led by FSC Malaysia and Expanse Consulting focused on:

FSC Verified Impact, a pathway to capture high-quality, credible nature and climate data, bridging forest stewardship with market and business needs
Practical application of the FSC Ecosystem Services Procedure: Impact Demonstration and Market Tools to identify ecosystem services impacts (including biodiversity, carbon, water, soil and more)
Approaches to collecting credible data and translating forest stewardship into verifiable ecosystem services claims

Example of how verified ecosystem services claims can be used:

Support value chain contributions, where companies sourcing FSC-certified materials contribute back to the forest areas they depend on
Enable Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)
Strengthen Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM), ESG reporting, and sustainability-focused finance and investment strategies
Support ESG financing / investment initiatives

We are especially grateful to Dr. Ryota Aoyagi (Kyoto University) for his sharing on the BOLEH (Biodiversity Observation for Land and Ecosystem Health) methodology. Participants engaged in hands-on group exercises, applying the approach to their own forest management contexts.

This training marks an important step in FSC Malaysia’s Ecosystem Services Project in Sabah and beyond - supporting forest managers in demonstrating the full value of well-managed forests, whether for production or conservation, and opening pathways toward sponsorship and long-term forest protection.

By making ecosystem services visible, measurable, and credible, FSC Verified Impact helps shift forest protection from a cost to a value proposition.

#FSC #ForestsForAllForever #EcosystemServices #FSCESPro #FSCVerifiedImpact #Carbon #Biodiversity #Water #Soil #Climate #NatureBasedSolutions #SustainableForestManagement