Limited effectiveness of FSC certification in conserving mammals in exotic plantations

Deforestation remains a critical global challenge, with forestry activities often contributing to forest loss or simplification. Certification schemes, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), aim to promote sustainable forest management and support biodiversity conservation. FSC effectiveness regarding biodiversity preservation has been discontinuously assessed across regions, taxonomic groups and types of targeted forests. Exotic plantations, in particular, pose a threat to local biodiversity by establishing heavily managed non-native habitats, yet little is known about how communities respond to the establishment of FSC criteria in these managed landscapes. To address this gap, we used camera trapping to evaluate mammalian occupancy and community composition across three distinct forest management contexts in Portugal: FSC-certified Eucalyptus plantations, non-FSC Eucalyptus plantations, and native reference forests. The findings indicate that the mean occupancy rate of mammals was similar in FSC-certified and non-FSC plantations and slightly higher in native forests. Carnivore and deer species occupancy were similar between FSC-certified and non-FSC sites. Moreover, native forests exhibited higher species-specific occupancy rates relative to FSC-certified and non-FSC plantations, with management status being a stronger driver than fine-scale habitat characteristics (e.g., NDVI, habitat heterogeneity). These results indicate that FSC has limited influence on advancing mammal conservation within exotic plantations. This study underscores the need to strengthen the FSC environmental criteria to ensure they align more effectively with biodiversity conservation. By refining FSC standards, there is significant potential to enhance conservation outcomes for mammal communities, particularly in forestry-dominated landscapes where sustainable management is a key goal