Forest certification in Russia: Challenges of institutional development

- Forest certification in Russia is a promising governance mechanism as an alternative to state controls.
- In-depth interviews showed the complex nature of certification implementation.
- Commercial drivers may lead to institutionalization of existing unsustainable practices.
- Inconsistent outcomes are related to local social institutions and practices.
- Greater focus on low-level actors is required for effective realization of multi-level governance.

This article examines the implementation of voluntary forest certification in Russia and the role it has played so far as a mechanism of multi-level governance with the potential to create sustainable forestry. The evidence was gathered from a data-set of over a hundred in-depth interviews with individuals from business, communities, state and non-governmental organizations in several major forestry regions in the European and Far-Eastern parts of Russia. The respondents' views regarding the nature and effects of certification were wide ranging. Certification is associated with new and powerful tools that are an alternative to coercive state governance, which may become instrumental in ensuring law enforcement and sustainability. At the same time, the combination of commercial drivers behind certification and the lack of social controls may lead to the institutionalization of existing, not necessarily desirable, forestry practices. Our paper shows that the inconsistent outcomes of certification are highly related to path-dependent social institutions and local practices. The expectations for internationally-devised schemes aimed at establishing sustainable forest management can be easily thwarted by the behavior of individuals involved at the local level. Greater focus on low-level actors is required for effective realization of multi-level governance in Russian forestry.