MAY 14: SUNDAY
ALL TIMES PDT
SQUAMISH LIL’WAT CULTURAL CENTRE
Join a trip to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Visitors will experience the rich cultural traditions, history, and heritage of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations, including art, music, storytelling, and traditional knowledge.
This is part of the forest tour listed on the main registration site. Sign up for the tour during registration, limited spots available.
MAY 16: TUESDAY
ALL TIMES PDT
TALKING TREES TOUR OF STANLEY PARK
Join Talaysay Tours for an enriched cultural outdoor experience. Indigenous Cultural Guides will share with you ancient and contemporary stories, legends, and Indigenous ways of living. Open to registered attendees only, limited spots available.
This tour is separate from the forest tour listed on main registration site.
Register for tour using this link.
2:00 P.M. – 3:00 PM PDT | SESSION 1: WELCOME
Kick off the 2023 SFI Annual Conference in collaboration with PEFC Week, where we will learn about and discuss opportunities on the most pressing issues and challenges facing our planet and communities, locally and globally.
3:15 P.M. – 5:00 PM PDT | SESSION 2: LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES
Hear from government and forest sector leaders about the importance of the conference theme: Forest, People, and Nature Positive.
MAY 17: WEDNESDAY
ALL TIMES PDT
9:00 A.M. – 9:15 A.M. PDT | DAY 2 WELCOME
9:15 A.M. – 10:30 A.M. PDT | SESSION 3: STANDARDS, SUPPLY CHAINS AND ESG
SFI and PEFC forest certification standards are highly trusted solutions to ensure forest products are from sustainably managed forests. Learn how SFI and PEFC standards can be leveraged with brands, investors, and consumers to demonstrate critical ESG and sustainability assurances.
Michael P. Doss
President and CEO
Graphic Packaging International Inc., and
Chair, SFI Board of Directors
10:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. PDT | BREAK
11:00 A.M. – 12:00 p.M. PDT | SESSION 4: RESPECTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS: UNDRIP AND FPIC
This panel will offer compelling thought leadership around the important topic of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), as an essential nation-to-nation conversation and foundational principle of sustainable forest management.
Ariel Taylor
Executive Director of Indigenous Relations Branch in the Associate Deputy Ministers, BC Ministry of Forests
12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. PDT | LUNCH
1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. PDT | SESSION 5: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND RECONCILIATION
This panel highlights forest-focused collaborations rooted in recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, traditional knowledge and self-determined aspirations for the future. Hear from Indigenous communities and their forest sector partners about what makes their partnership work, and what you can do to advance your own relationships.
Chief Lorraine Cobiness
Niisaachewan Anishinaabe First Nation, and President, Miitigoog Forest Management
Erik Holmstrom
Vice President, Miitigoog Forest Management; Ontario Timberlands Manager, Weyerhaeuser/p>
2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. PDT | SESSION 6: URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY: INCREASING ACCESS TO GREEN SPACES
The guiding principles of the new SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standards point out that “urban forests and trees are vital for community well-being, health, resiliency, and sustainability.” Urban forests and their associate benefits should be accessible and available to everyone. Join us for a global perspective on the current state and future plans for urban and community forestry. Take away actions you can take to help support sustainability through collaborations where you live, work, play, and learn.
Moderator: Paul Johnson
Senior Director of Urban and Community Forestry
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
3:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M. PDT | BREAK
3:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. PDT | SESSION 7: NATURE-POSITIVE SOLUTIONS
The forest sector has the opportunity and responsibility to advance and scale solutions to some of the world’s greatest environmental challenges, such as sustaining imperiled biodiversity and maintaining essential ecosystem services. This session will examine the role of certification in driving, quantifying, and sharing forest-positive solutions to ecological sustainability, and will demonstrate the value of collaborative efforts to advance environmental metrics.
Angela Graham-Brown
Director, Forest Solutions Group
World Business Council for Sustainable Development
MAY 18: THURSDAY
ALL TIMES PDT
9:00 A.M. – 9:15 A.M. PDT | DAY 3 WELCOME
9:15 A.M. – 10:30 A.M. PDT | SESSION 8: CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY
Sustainably managed forests are among the planet’s most important tools for addressing climate change. Organizations are helping to mitigate climate change through the use of SFI standards and the use of SFI and PEFC-certified forest products. The first part of this session will examine the latest science developments and set the stage for the second part of the session, which will explore policy and practice, what the science means for forest managers and forest products manufacturers, and how SFI standards are positioned to play a role.
10:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. PDT | BREAK
11:00 A.M. – 12:00 p.M. PDT | SESSION 9: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
This session will highlight examples of partnerships and initiatives that are successfully creating impactful workforce development and experiential learning opportunities for young professionals.
BILL REID GALLERY
Visit the Bill Reid Gallery, home to special exhibitions of contemporary Indigenous Art of the Northwest Coast of North America. Open to registered attendees only, limited spots available.
This tour is separate from the forest tour listed on main registration site.
Register for tour using this link.
CONFERENCE HOME PAGE
REGISTRATION FEES
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
CONFERENCE SPONSORS
CONFERENCE TRAVEL
PEFC MEMBERS INFO
SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING
YOUTH DELEGATE EVENTS
Conference Registration Questions:
events@forests.org
SFI Questions:
Amy Tauzin
Manager, Events and Logistics
Tel: 202-765-3609
PEFC International Questions:
Hannah Prins
Communications Manager
Tel: +41 (0) 22 799 45 40
