For the fourth year in a row, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative will be a part of the Easter celebration at the White House. We are very excited that the official White House Easter Egg will be packaged in a gift box made from paper certified by SFI. 

We continually promote responsible purchasing decisions to the public, and we hope that this action taken by The National Park Foundation to use SFI-certified boxes will inspire the American people and American companies to make the decision to choose SFI products. In so doing, an important signal is sent in support of responsible forestry and conservation, not to mention buying SFI directly supports American jobs and communities who depend on keeping these working forests healthy and thriving.  

Four years ago, the National Park Foundation decided to start making the conservation of American forests an integral part of the historical White House Easter Egg Roll by packaging the eggs in paperboard sourced by responsible managed forests.

By recognizing SFI in the White House Easter Egg Roll, The National Park Foundation sends the message that selecting certified forest products is not only a smart environmental choice but also a commitment to U.S. communities.  We have been honored to be part of this American tradition the past four years and look forward to continuing the recognition and importance of multiple forests certifications.

Today marks the launch of SFI’s In Case You Were Wondering section of the website (sfiprogram.org/facts). This part of the site is a resource for anyone with questions about forest certification or SFI and explains the values our program is grounded in, the importance of promoting responsible forest management and helps
consumers make informed purchasing decisions.

Independence and inclusion, rigorous third party audits and understanding eco labels are the themes covered throughout this area of our site. We showcase leaders in their respective fields with videos and information featuring me and other key contributors to forest certification:

Additionally, there is a “share” feature on each page, making it easy for you to post and email information about the site to your social networks.

I couldn’t be more excited about the site, and we hope you find it valuable. Feel free to share your feedback by commenting on the post or emailing info@sfiprogram.org.

I recently talked to Kenneth Norris, Contributing Editor of Pulp & Paper International, about the latest SFI Progress Report, and was pleased to see a wonderful account of our discussion in RISI. The article, Good forest management much more than certification, not only did a great job of capturing the reasons behind the SFI program’s “bigger picture” approach to third-party forest certification; but also encouraged readers to consider some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for forest certification programs. At SFI, the bigger picture means integrity in the work we do; supporting communities and conservation initiatives, and promoting responsible forest management across the supply chain.

I told RISI that while I’m proud of the growth of our program over the past years, our real success comes from what we are able to achieve with our many partners – including conservation groups, public agencies, academics and community organizations.

The RISI article also points to the importance of having a choice of certification standards. A healthy competitive environment makes us all better – and that’s great for forests, for communities and for the marketplace. It will help us address what is becoming an even more complex landscape with changes in everything from climate to land ownership demands to business contexts.

I would encourage you to read the RISI post, and I welcome your thoughts.

Posted by Ben Silvernail, SFI Intern

I am excited to be living in Washington, DC for the summer as a student of environmental studies and an intern with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). A combination of factors led me here, including my work researching how timber harvest management practices affect certain avian species of conservation interest, as well as a great appreciation for natural resources and the outdoors. I have always looked to nature for inspiration and recreation, and working with SFI this summer will provide a great opportunity to learn more about how public policy regarding sustainability is created, adopted and affected.

I was led to my internship at SFI through faculty at Michigan State University, where I have spent the last three years focusing on environmental science and policy, as well as geographic information science. Prior to my arrival in DC, I worked on public lands as a member of the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps, had a legislative internship with the Michigan House of Representatives, worked as a subcontractor installing office furniture, and most recently had a job with the MSU Center for Spatial Analysis of Recreation and Tourism.

Responsible forest management is important to me because it touches so many aspects of daily life. We all need clean water and air, and I personally love to get outdoors to go camping, fishing, and hiking. I am also impressed by the work SFI is doing to support communities, to work with conservation groups across the continent to better understand and protect a variety of forest ecosystems, and to work with aboriginal communities. I’m proud to work with and learn more about an organization that is so committed to our forests, our communities, consumers, and customers, and to addressing some of the global challenges and opportunities facing forestry.

Earlier this week the White House unveiled its official design and logo for this year’s Easter Egg Roll souvenirs. For the second consecutive year, the egg packaging has been made from SFI-certified paperboard. The egg itself has been manufactured from FSC-certified wood.

As the largest certifier of U.S. forests, we at SFI are pleased the White House is recognizing the importance of promoting sustainability with the Easter Egg Roll and supporting the responsibly managed forests of North America. I also think it speaks volumes that the White House is recognizing two valid certification programs—the SFI and FSC. The White House is not the first organization to acknowledge the value of both standards. It joins a long list of companies and associations around the world who do so as well.

We are happy to play a small part in this wonderful American tradition, and look forward to the day when all wood and paper products at the White House come from certified forests.