SFI BLOG

Did you know that kids in the United States and Canada spend more time inside than any previous generation? While the long-term effects of North American children’s “nature-deficit disorder” is still being researched, we know that time outdoors leads to healthier physical and mental development.

2019 has been a great year, thanks to all of you for supporting SFI and committing to a sustainable future.

Congratulations to three outstanding young writers for winning the 2019 North Carolina Forestry Association (NCFA) Essay Contest! The NCFA Forest Products Week contest featured 600 essays from students in 132 schools.

The Canadian kids’ conservation organization, Earth Rangers wants to create a new generation of conservationists by focusing on hope. Learn more about how this SFI partner is inspiring new generations who are ready to roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to make a better future.

Forest sustainability is one of most important tools to ensure a healthy planet and shared global prosperity. Despite great need for future leaders in forest conservation, there are difficult barriers for many youth interested in pursuing related degrees. The Multicultural Apprenticeship Program (MAP) at Michigan State University (MSU) seeks to change that. The program gives underserved high school students hands-on exposure to careers in sustainable forestry. In partnership with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, MSU wants to share their success and grow the program.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) are proud to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day by shining a spotlight on four bright, talented and motivated young men and women who have found fulfilling summer jobs through PLT Canada’s Green Jobs initiative and the Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP). SFI and PLT Canada are proud supporters of OYEP and of all the amazing Indigenous youth, like Sage, Lucas, Sarah, and Destiny that OYEP empowers to become the next generation of forestry and community leaders.

This blog is originally posted on USGBC's LEED article website. SFI shares tips on how to how to earn LEED points with certified wood.

Impact (Impækt: noun) – the sudden and powerful positive or negative effect something has on a situation, process, or person.In the scientific community, the effect that a research program has on society is described as the work’s positive “impact.” Where once it was considered enough to publish findings in respectable journals and move on, there is an increasing movement to assess the impact that findings have more broadly, especially considering the amount of public funds often invested.

Ah, Cherry Blossom season. Nothing signifies the arrival of spring in the nation’s capital quite like the blooming of the cherry blossom trees and the three-week-long National Cherry Blossom Festival which runs from the first day of spring on March 20 – April 14.

The forest has always felt like home. Growing up among the iconic wind-swept pines and maple sugar bushes of Georgian Bay, with summers spent exploring the centuries-old stands of Algonquin Park, forests feature heavily in many of my earliest and fondest childhood memories.

The holiday season is the perfect time to reflect, give thanks, and look forward to the New Year. I always enjoy writing the entire SFI family to highlight what we have accomplished together during the last 12 months.

SFI was delighted to recently receive a collection of postcards recognizing our work and positive impact on the environment and sustainable forests from the Postcard Underground.

At the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), we believe well‑managed forests are the answer to many of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

I had the opportunity to attend the 42nd Annual National Indian Timber Symposium earlier this month. The InterTribal Timber Council coordinates the event, which is hosted by a different tribe each year.

At the end of each year, SFI takes time to give thanks, reflect on the past year, and look forward to the next year. We continue to work with a diverse network to expand our reach and commitment to future forests.