FSC ' s 10 Principles of Forest StewardshipCompliance with Laws and FSC PrinciplesForest management shall respect all applicable laws of the country in which they occur , and international treaties and agreements to which the country is a signatory , and comply with all FSC Principles and Criteria . Tenure and Use Rights and ResponsibilitiesLong - term tenure and use rights to the land and forest resources shall be clearly defined , documented and legally established . Indigenous Peoples ' RightsThe legal and customary rights of indigenous peoples to own , use and manage their lands , territories , and resources shall be recognised and respected . Community Relations and Worker ' s RightsForest management operations shall maintain or enhance the long - term social and economic well - being of forest workers and local communities . Benefits from the ForestForest management operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest ' s multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits . Environmental ImpactForest management shall conserve biological diversity and its associated values , water resources , soils , and unique and fragile ecosystems and landscapes , and , by so doing , maintain the ecological functions and the integrity of the forest . Management PlanA management plan -- appropriate to the scale and intensity of the operations -- shall be written , implemented , and kept up to date . The long term objectives of management , and the means of achieving them , shall be clearly stated . Monitoring And AssessmentMonitoring shall be conducted -- appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management -- to assess the condition of the forest , yields of forest products , chain of custody , management activities and their social and environmental impacts . Maintenance of High Conservation Value ForestsManagement activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests . Decisions regarding high conservation value forests shall always be considered in the context of a precautionary approach . PlantationsPlantations shall be planned and managed in accordance with Principles and Criteria 1 - 9 , and Principle 10 and its Criteria . While plantations can provide an array of social and economic benefits , and can contribute to satisfying the world ' s needs for forest products , they should complement the management of , reduce pressures on , and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests .