The U.S. Green Building Copuncil (USGBC) is about to begin the fourth public comment period on draft credit language for LEED 2012. Respected organizations are calling on USGBC to recognize all credible certification programs used in North America through LEED – including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, American Tree Farm System, Canadian Standards Association, Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. SFI Inc. has invited views on how USGBC should treat third-party forest certification: In this post, Robert S. (Bob) Tomlinson, Manager of Strategic Land Asset Management and former Assistant Director of the Division of Forestry, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and a member of the independent SFI External Review Panel, talks about the value of SFI certification when managing public forests.
In Minnesota, 4.9 million acres of state-administered forestlands are certified to Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards. Minnesota was the first state with public forest lands to be certified in the Unites States, establishing us as a nation-wide leader in forest certification. Our experience with SFI and FSC has taught us that both make a positive contribution to our forest management, and both should be recognized by USGBC in its LEED rating tool.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
