Forest-Smart Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
Bolt-on Standard
As part of the World Bank-funded project on Developing Forest-Smart Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining standards, Levin Sources, the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI), have developed a bolt-on Standard that includes Principles, Criteria, Indicators and a Guideline for forest-smart artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) to ensure that ASM generates positive outcomes for forests and forest values.
Developing standards for forest-smart mining ensure the artisanal and Small-scale mining sector can access responsible markets whilst supporting the sustainable development of ASM communities.
Three principles for Forest-Smart
Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
Forest ecosystem safeguarding
and resilience
Biodiversity, carbon, and ecosystem services.
Human rights approach
Communities and livelihoods, both local and global.
Commitment to the mitigation hierarchy
Practical approaches to forest-impact avoidance, minimization, and rehabilitation.
Piloting countries
The Forest-Smart Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Bolt-on Standard was piloted in Peru, Colombia, and Burkina Faso.
In 2022, as part of the Accelerating innovation for artisanal and small-scale mining in the Amazon project, the standard is being tested in Peru, Guyana and Suriname.
Why do forests matter?
Climate Change
- We cannot achieve 1.5 C warming without them.
- Help mitigate the effects of climate change, supporting adaptation (e.g. flood prevention, food, etc).
Ecosystem Services
- Provide the oxygen we need to survive.
- Protect watersheds that supply 75% of freshwater and regulate rainfall.
- Provide livelihoods for 25% of the global population.
- Their aesthetic and physical qualities are therapeutic, helping protect mental health.
Biodiversity
- Biodiversity is the basis for ecological resilience.
- Harbour huge amounts of untapped or under-understood knowledge.
- Home to a large majority of global biodiversity.
What is Forest-Smart ASM in a brief?
Forest-smart ASM, as conceived, is framed with the overarching principle aimed at safeguarding forest ecosystem values including carbon storage and sequestration. This in itself contributes to the storage and sequestration of carbon as do the FSM PCI’s generally.