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Part of the idea of sustainable forestry is the certification of
logging practices and wood products as produced through sustainable
methods. The premise is that products certified as being produced from
sustainable forestry will enjoy a preference in the marketplace, because polls
clearly show that the majority of the American public wants to purchase forest
products that are produced sustainably. While polls show this preference,
the market is a different place, and the role and value of certification is
still somewhat up in the air. However, the momentum behind certification
is growing, and hopefully soon there will be a truly independent and
scientifically-defensible certification program that will win wide-scale
acceptance with the public, landowners and the forest products industry.
Currently, there are a number of certification programs out there,
from the timber corporations' Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) to the
independent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Each program has its
weaknesses and strengths, but it is clear that some are more
scientifically-based and unbiased than others. Although it has some good
points, SFI is clearly an industry-dominated scheme that protects the status quo
of corporate needs more than it does the sustainable economic and ecological
needs of landowners. FSC seems to be the best, most unbiased of the
various certification program, but it is not perfect either.
The Sustainable Forests Alliance has not endorsed a particular
certification program. Each landowner and forestry practitioner must
decide for themselves what goals they have, and if they wish to seek
certification for their practices and forest products. If they decide that
certification is appropriate for them, then they must select the program from
which to seek that certification. Below are some references provided to
help you decide for yourself what certification of sustainable forestry means
and what program is best.
Nonindustrial
Private Forest Landowners: Building the Business Case for Sustainable Forestry.
A series of small cases that demonstrate sustainable forestry practice on
Nonindustrial Private Forests (NIPF) with 2-3 cases from the Northeast,
Southeast, and Pacific Northwest. Comparison
of the various certification programs: from the Sustainable Forestry
Partnership
Certification
Resources: also from the Sustainable Forestry Partnership.
Forest Stewardship
Council.
Sustainable Forests
Initiative.
SmartWood.
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