WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
MORNING
8:00 – 9:00 am | BREAKFAST
9:00 – 10:00 am | INNOVATING FOR FORESTS AND COMMUNITIES: TRADITIONAL WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS
Sustainability requires innovative solutions to local, national, and global environmental challenges—solutions strengthened through forest-focused collaboration. Join us for a traditional welcome and opening remarks to kick off the 2025 SFI Annual Conference and set the stage for this year’s theme, Innovating for Forests and Communities.
Moderator
Nisogaabokwe Melonee Montano
Owner
Ethical Embers LLC
Patty Thielen
State Forester and Director, Division of Forestry,
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
10:00 – 10:30 am | PRESENTATION OF PRESIDENT’S AWARD AND DR. SHARON HAINES MEMORIAL AWARD
10:30 – 11:00 am | BREAK
11:00 – 12:00 pm | SFI @ 30 YEARS: CELEBRATING PROGRESS, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
SFI is celebrating 30 years since its founding, marking three decades of achievements that will propel us into a new era of innovation and engagement. Hear from forest sector leaders, including past and current SFI Board members, who helped lay the foundation and are building the future of sustainable forestry.
Moderator
Bill Banzhaf
Former CEO
Sustainable Forestry Board
AFTERNOON
12:00 – 1:15 pm | LUNCH
1:15 – 2:30 pm | MEASURE THIS! THE VALUE OF SFI IN GLOBAL REPORTING FRAMEWORKS
Nature-related global reporting frameworks are becoming increasingly important in forest supply chains. Learn about recent developments in several key frameworks, including the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and the links to SFI certification.
Moderator
2:30 – 3:15 pm | DRIVING DEMAND: HOW MARKETS PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
SFI is increasingly recognized for providing supply chain assurances. 93% of consumers who have heard of SFI trust SFI, and 80% of SFI-certified organizations reported steady or increased demand for SFI-certified products in 2024. This session will feature insights into forest sector markets and how market leaders evaluate sustainable forestry.
Moderator
3:15 – 3:45 pm | BREAK
3:45 – 4:15 pm | FORESTS IN 4D: DUE DILIGENCE, DEFORESTATION AND DEGRADATION
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and other public and private initiatives are focused on avoiding deforestation and forest degradation. Learn about implementation efforts to comply with policy requirements and recent case studies that analyze compliance in supply chains in the U.S. South.
4:15 – 5:00 pm | PLANTING THE SEED: PARTNERSHIPS TO GROW FOREST LITERACY
Building a generation of leaders who will take responsibility for solving environmental challenges and market needs is one of the best investments a society can make. Explore how Project Learning Tree (PLT) and forest sector organizations can collaborate to increase forest literacy in K-12 education and knowledge about sustainably managed forests.
Moderator
