We need to take pride in the partnerships we have formed. We need to stay positive and give those with false perceptions of SFI the opportunity to get to know SFI, the real SFI. We at SFI Inc. have started to do that. We have written the campaigning organizations that have inaccurate misinformation about our program and have let them know exactly where their information needs to be updated to reflect the real SFI that exists today in October 2009, not the SFI that existed in 1998, and not the SFI that sometimes only existed in their minds.

We have to be honest about what our program delivers and doesn’t deliver and we have to also help them to play fairly and understand what their preferred certification program does deliver and does not deliver as well.

I am hopeful that by working with these organizations and reaching out to them, they may become more understanding of SFI’s strengths and more accepting of the fact that some of the weaknesses we have, are not that different from other certification programs. Perhaps then we can work together on improving existing certification programs, but more importantly work together on the bigger issue – like the 90% of the world’s forests that are not certified, and where real issues like illegal logging are threatening the environment, society, the economy and a healthy climate. In North America, we tend to get distracted on the nuances between certification programs and arguing over who is the A+ student and who is the A student, while nobody pays attention to the student that doesn’t even write the exam, never mind pass it. So, if we can start working together on the big issues, we will be able to accomplish much more for the future of our forests, the world’s forests and of course generations to come.

Oh yes, the major retailer, we’d be happy to meet with the retailer (or any retailer)to discuss their concerns and share some recent information about SFI. Experience to date has shown that meeting with retailers and others in the supply chain has helped them better understand the strengths of the SFI program.

Kathy

Kathy

Rick, thanks for your kind words about the Habitat for Humanity project. The Minnesota SFI Implementation Committee was the first to partner with Habitat and Maine the next. I think one of SFI’s strengths is that our grass roots happens to be the 37 SFI Implementation Committees across North America that work to promote landowner outreach, logger training, and education opportunities in the community. They also do wonderful things like showing their support for the community and these recent Habitat for Humanity projects is just a great example of this. It shows that SFI doesn’t just promote sustainable forest management, it promotes sustainable communities by bringing Senators, girl scouts, tree farmers, youth programs, banks and SFI volunteers together. We hope to see more of these projects in the coming years.

The video montage we saw at the conference is a bit of a tear-jerker and really gives a good sense of the project. We’re just getting it web-ready and will let you know on the blog when it is available – stay tuned!

Kathy

Good job and keep up the great work!