Two major North American groups representing forestry experts have weighed in with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on the LEED standard.  Steven Koehn, president of the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), recently wrote a letter to USGBC CEO & Founding Chairman Rick Fedrizzi stating that the revised standard should:

The NASF is comprised of directors of forestry agencies across the U.S. and promotes forest conservation and sustainable forestry.

Additionally, Mr. Fedrizzi has received a letter urging LEED to be more inclusive from the Canadian Institute of Forestry. The organization also put out a press release about the LEED issue. President Anne LeBrun Ruff and Executive Director John F. Pineau state,

“Even though Canada has over 40% of the certified land globally, only 10% of the world’s forests are certified. Yet private and some government agencies are still splitting hairs over specific aspects of forest management certification systems. In doing this, the focus on the overall goal of sustainable management is lost. Each standard has a different background and assesses planning and practices in a slightly different way. However, the end result of sustainably managed forests is the same, which leads us to the issue at hand.”

They also make the vital point that wood is a smart choice for green building, yet many of its positive aspects are not recognized in the LEED rating system.

I’m pleased that the NASF and Canadian Institute of Forestry have taken a stand on the LEED issue. At SFI, we hope Mr. Fedrizzi and the rest of the USGBC listen to what the rest of the forestry community already knows—an inclusive stance better supports responsible forestry.

I recently had a conversation with Jeff Bi, Managing Director of Tralin Packaging (aka Tralin Pak) about the about the packaging marketplace and perceptions of certification overseas. Tralin Pak is based in China and is the third largest supplier of aseptic paper-based packaging in the world. He was surprisingly candid, and said that he had originally thought of certification as a cost his business would have to absorb. But it was his customers and their desire to be green that convinced him otherwise. He says he now sees certification as an investment. Not just in his business, but in the social and environmental well-being of the communities his company serves, as well as his country and the planet. To see the full conversation, watch the video below. And please let me know your thoughts on the matter. Certification: cost or investment?

Recently, members of the SFI team had the privilege to attend the national Recycling Coalition’s 11th Annual “Recycling Works” Award Ceremony at which Staples was honored for its recycling and sustainability practices.

Of course, recycling is an issue that’s important to us at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative because all recycled content begins as virgin fiber. Which means even recyclers need to care about the origin of fiber and how the forests it came from were managed – whether it is being used for the first time or the fifth. It’s one of the many reasons we must focus on sustaining our forests and that is what SFI is all about.

Prior to the event, I was able to sit down with David Refkin, President of the National Recycling Coalition to ask him about his views on recycling, sustainability and future policy issues – as well as background on the award Staples received. His answers regarding multiple content streams and the (possibly) pending cap and trade issue are particularly insightful.

I’m Kathy Abusow, president & CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc.  This is my first blog, and I’m excited about its prospects.  I’m looking forward to discussing the issues facing forestry today and also to engaging in a dialogue with visitors, not only about certification and sustainability, but how they can be active participants in the health of our forests.  

I have always had a great appreciation for the beauty of the forests.  We love them for the recreation, environmental and spiritual benefits they bring to our lives. At the same time, they provide important products for our every day lives – products like lumber for our homes, paper for the books we read and packaging for some of our favorite products.  But it’s critical that our forests are managed in a way that preserves their abundance for future generations.  That is what the SFI Program is about and I am proud to be leading it.

Across North America, there are 150 million acres (60 million hectares) certified to the SFI standard, meaning these forests are being managed to conserve wildlife habitat, species at risk, water quality and much more.  It also means that the environment is being protected and trees are being replanted in areas that were harvested.  

SFI and other forest certification standards have helped stimulate tremendous progress in managing our forests.  But we still have a long way to go.  Only 10% of the world’s forestland is certified.   We need to raise that amount ever year.  Businesses and consumers can do their part by purchasing forest products that come from certified forests.  

So, that is my first post.  Please feel free to comment and/or send me questions!