SFI IN THE NEWS

People, climate and forests are an astonishingly powerful mix, with enormous potential for improving the ...

Far too often policy-makers and citizens think that protecting a forest is how we fight climate change, but ...

The catastrophic wildfires that raged through parts of British Columbia this summer are a wake-up call. ...

The construction industry is ripe for some creative disruption. Sustainable forestry is at the heart of ...

Karla Guyn’s 30-plus-year career in conservation has taken her to all kinds of wild places across North ...

Introducing young people to careers in conservation and encouraging them to pursue their passions related to ...

We are proud to share a new video about Project Learning Tree, produced in collaboration with BBC StoryWorks, ...

Business View Magazine interviews Kathy Abusow, President & CEO of Sustainable Forestry Initiative, ...

The Idaho Central Credit Union Arena highlights how our built environment need not conflict with ...

A forest is more than just an abundance of trees in a specific site. A forest holds life beyond what ...

Urban and community forestry is an aspect of the industry that is often overlooked, but ensuring that ...

Architects and builders often find inspiration from the past as they focus on designing and building ...

Roseburg announces the addition of Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) certification for select ...

CFI: How did you get your start in forestry? I went to the University of Toronto intending to ...

Forests have a multitude of values including biodiversity, climate mitigation and water conservation, ...

Since 2019, Canadian Biomass, Canadian Forest Industries (CFI) and Pulp & Paper Canada have ...

Molly of Denali and Project Learning Tree’s Alaska Coordinator, Molly (also living in Denali), share ...

The Clemson Extension Forestry and Natural Resources Program Team’s Youtube page recently published ...

Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) recently launched its Green Mentor Program – 2021 National ...

Darren Sleep, SFI’s Senior Director of Conservation Science & Strategies and conservation partners ...

In 2020, we again faced catastrophic wildfires in the western United States and Canada. The fires took ...

There is broad agreement we are under significant climate threat as rising average temperatures ...

SFI works with the American Bird Conservancy and SFI-certified organizations to develop bird-focused ...

Throughout the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) history, there have been significant improvements ...

When the pandemic forced his school to go to online learning, fifth-grader Bergen Manzella spent six ...

Catherine Langille was unsure about her future plans, but after a few years working as a Project ...

One third of the forest sector’s workforce is set to retire in the next decade. Mentorship is an ...

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest ...

Hunting, fishing and other types of outdoor recreation are big business in North Carolina. From the mountains to the coast, our state supports one of the largest outdoor economies in the country. Behind the beaches and forests, the bird watchers and backpackers, are natural resource managers working hard to steward these resources, so that they benefit our state both now and for future generations. But climate change is throwing a wrench in these efforts, introducing substantial new challenges and making it harder for managers to effectively manage our lands.

I’ve written quite a bit lately about how Americans are experiencing a “Maslow moment” right now. Concerns about the environment are taking a backseat to worries about basic needs — our health and our economy (at both the macro and personal level). But that doesn’t mean we’re not at all worried about the environment.

While 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of National Forest Week, the celebrations and education opportunities around Lesser Slave Lake, will be different than normal.Most years, Lesser Slave Lake Forest Education Society has a ‘big shindig’ during National Forest Week, says Cori Klassen, LSFES executive director. This is an all-day event for Grade 6 students. In order to fit in all the Grade 6 students in Slave Lake and Kinuso, there are usually two days on the east side of the lake. There are also events on the west.

Full disclosure: I love my green job at the Project Learning Tree Canada – an initiative of SFI. Every day, I have the privilege of working alongside a creative, diverse, passionate and collaborative team of professionals—each deeply committed to a common vision of providing every young person with the resources, support and opportunities they need to become future forest and conservation leaders.

Life’s most impactful moments sometimes come in the simplest of packages and in the most unexpected places. This moment for me came in the form of a single word in the middle of a forest, 650km north of Thunder Bay. It was my first Green Job – a co-op placement toward completing the Forest Technician program at Confederation College.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on Canada’s youth, with many seeing their summer jobs, internships and graduation plans disappear. To help our country’s young people during this unprecedented time, the Government of Canada introduced a comprehensive emergency support package earlier this year. This includes the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), which has provided income support to close to 700,000 post-secondary students and recent graduates since its launch.

“The right to land and to self-government. The right to self-determination. Those causes are right in any society.” Being Métis, that statement by Jim Sinclair to the 1987 First Ministers’ Conference often plays in my mind.

As the mass timber building movement gains momentum, designers and builders need assurance that the wood products on the market are of high standards on a number of fronts. The Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI), the largest single forest certification standard in the world, is one of three certification agencies to provide that assurance.

As a high school student, I was told I would graduate, earn a university degree, find a career path and then retire… hopefully young. But coming out of university, I found myself being just another young person with a diploma and few employable skills. Weeks of job hunting led to me questioning my situation and decisions. Was a university education not a sure-fire ticket to a great job? Had I tumbled off the time-tested path to career success? Or had I been misinformed?

As Canada turns its attention towards a green economic recovery from COVID-19, forestry will have an important role to play. Listen to podcast now.

A study in Science found a decline of more than 25% in the number of North American birds since 1970. An increased focus on managing forests sustainably and working to recover bird populations could help stem this massive decline. The long-term partnership between the two organizations is an example of success in sustainably managing bird populations in forested landscapes and cityscapes.

All of Tennessee’s 15 state forests are now certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Forest Management Standard. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry announced that all state forests—covering 168,359 acres—passed the third-party audit for forestry management practices. This independent certification assures that forests are managed sustainably, which is essential for clean water, wildlife habitat, and market access.

Katerra, a technology company redefining the construction industry, today announced that its cross-laminated timber (CLT) factory has earned Chain of Custody (CoC) certifications under three major certification programs: Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SCS-SFI/COC-007240), Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC-C156195), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC/29-31-382). Katerra worked with SCS Global Services – an international leader in third-party certification, validation, and verification of environmental and sustainability performance – to certify its factory.

By making sustainable packaging for e-commerce and the industrial supply chain, Ranpak is doing well by doing good. Ranpak is a leading global provider of environmentally friendly protective packaging solutions, and its systems play an increasingly important role in an ever more complex and interconnected economy. Ranpak serves a broad array of industries, including e-commerce, food and beverage, healthcare, automotive, machinery and consumer goods.

A three year project from the Saskatchewan Research Council is getting interest from the forestry industry with some companies beginning to take a more serious look at environmental stewardship.

People who enjoy the outdoors have extolled the benefits of being close to nature since they first laced up hiking boots for adventure instead of work. A growing body of research on human health and happiness is confirming how good it is for us to connect with nature.

Several recent developments suggest that sustainable procurement is about to become a more significant priority for business and procurement leaders. In August of last year, for example, the Business Roundtable – a non-profit association whose members are the CEOs of major U.S. companies – captured widespread public attention when it released a new Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation.

Willamette Falls Paper Company in West Linn, Oregon has added Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) chain of custody certification (SFI-01924) to its full line of paper products. .SFI’s Chain-of-Custody Standard and associated labels allow businesses to provide assurance to customers that wood, paper and packaging products are made with raw materials from certified forest content, certified sourcing or recycled content.

There is a solution to the single-use plastic problem, and it’s one that has been right under the noses of policy makers for decades. It’s paper, said Jessica Kaknevicius…Forest-based products are renewable, compostable and sustainable, Kaknevicius pointed out, and now is the perfect time, “in a time when we’re trying to look for sustainability,” to look for new solutions and educate the public.

Millennials are regarded as one of the most opinionated consumer generations yet. For those reasons, the findings of EcoFocus Worldwide’s 2019 US Trends Survey are important in offering a unique glimpse into what these consumers feel. Compared to older age groups, millennials have significantly higher and more pressing concerns about the protection of natural resources, the use of renewable materials, and the practice of sustainable forestry. These are all issues that are changing how millennials think about sustainable food and beverage packaging.

The Yakama Nation manages about 632,000 acres of forestland in southern Washington, but it doesn’t plan on cutting too many of those trees. “We don’t have a tree farm — we have a forest,” said Doug Olney, tribal member and the timber resource manager at Yakama Forest Products. Just 300,000 acres are subject to timber harvest, less than half the tribe’s forestland. The rest is set aside for reforestation, wildfire resiliency, and habitat restoration.

Georgia is gifted with abundant and healthy forests that cover about 24 million acres or about 65 percent of total land in the state. Forest landowners, recreational users, manufacturers, and consumers of wood products alike recognize the enormous value of forests in their daily life.

Douglas was among four counties in northern Wisconsin audited for certification through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Forest Stewardship Council this summer. Both third-party certification programs came up with no findings that needed correction in Ashland, Barron, Bayfield and Barron counties.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary John Norbeck announced Pennsylvania’s state forest system (totaling more than 2.2 million acres) has received certification through one of the world’s most recognized, independent, third-party forest management certification standards, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Forest Management Standard.

It’s a common misconception that an untouched forest is all we can do for species at risk, but a well-managed forest can actually provide improved habitat for certain species.

Sustainable forest management is an important tool to ensure a healthy planet and shared global prosperity. However, despite a great need for future leaders in sustainable forestry, there are difficult barriers for many youths 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 (PLT) joined Scouts from more than 150 countries at the 24th World Scout Jamboree last month. PLT is an environmental education initiative of SFI and focuses on taking students outdoors to learn and connecting youth to nature.

Woodland caribou are considered threatened throughout much of Canada’s vast boreal forest. SFI Conservation Grants grantee, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) followed a small herd of caribou over nine years to determine what role – if any – nutrition plays in maintaining caribou populations. Data was collected from Fairbanks, Alaska to Fort St-John, British Columbia, to Dryden, Ontario. Some interesting results have recently come in.

Every year, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative community comes together to exchange ideas, share innovations, and inspire those who have a vision of a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests.

Great things are happening for the environment at schools across the U.S. Thirty-five schools, 14 school districts, and four postsecondary institutions have been honored as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) for 2019.

From paper goods to lumber and wildlife habitat to recreation, our forests provide value in countless ways. However, forest management is a complex science. It requires advanced technology, collaboration, and an eye toward sustainability.

About one in six men in the United States are fathers. That’s more than 70 million dads . It can be tempting to focus their Father’s Day on finding the perfect camping gadget, the best new fishing rod, or the latest hiking gear. Why not drop what you’re doing, take what you have, and hit up a forest instead? Sustainably managed forests are good for you and good for the planet.

What is an ACP? An Alternative Compliance Path allows LEED projects to achieve an existing green building credit, using an alternative approach to what is specified in the existing rating tool. Pilot ACPs are used to test new ideas before they are fully integrated into the LEED rating systems.

Boy Scouts of America has teamed with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and its award-winning environmental education program, Project Learning Tree (PLT). We’ve been working together to provide Scout leaders with ideas and outdoor, hands-on activities from PLT to help support Cub Scouting Adventures and Scouts BSA Merit Badges.

As forest industry leaders meet in Vancouver this coming week for the annual conference of the Council of Forest Industries, we have a great deal to be proud of. B.C.’s forest sector has accomplished much over the past decades, from pioneering world-leading sustainable forestry practices to building innovative partnerships with Indigenous communities.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, water is your human right. That’s the theme of World Water Day 2019. It’s a day made official by the United Nations General Assembly that takes place every year on March 22. Did you know that regardless of who, or where you are, your water likely comes from a forest? According to the UN, forests provide 75 percent of the world’s freshwater. In addition, forests provide more than just water storage; trees help regulate rainfall through transpiration and filter out contaminants.

Did you know the International Day of Forests is March 21? It’s a day the United Nations General Assembly made official to raise awareness of the importance of forests around the world. The U.N. encourages all countries to organize local, national, and international activities that get people involved in supporting the sustainability of forests and trees.

GreenBlue is challenging companies throughout the United States and Canada to change their thinking about sustainable sourcing. The organization, which is the parent nonprofit of the Forest Products Working Group, and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, created four new Webinars to educate brand owners about the benefits of buying materials from responsibly managed forests.

Fifty years ago, most managed forests in this country were valued for producing board-feet of timber. In the decades since, scientists have documented a diverse suite of additional values that forests deliver, such as clean water, purified air, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and habitat for a diversity of plants and animals, including species of conservation concern.  Recognition of these many values is driving societal demand for forests to be managed sustainably, and we should celebrate this.

As we recognize African American History Month, it is important to highlight a lesser known part of this history – the legacy of forest ownership among the black community, and the leaders who are working to preserve it.

Does your family PLT? Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education program for children and teens in all grades, using trees and forests as a launching pad for understanding complex environmental issues.

From paper goods to lumber, wildlife habitat to recreation, our forests provide value in countless ways. A well managed forest is a sustainable forest, and one that will continue to provide value for generations to come. That’s the underlying message of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) conference, an annual event focused on today’s most important forest sustainability challenges.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds. But the vast educational opportunities it offers aren’t reserved only for Ivy League students. They include programs for youth, families, and local communities to participate in hands-on learning that benefits birds and the environment.

This Thanksgiving, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) express gratitude for another productive year working together toward common goals, including: well-managed forests, wild-life conservation, habitat protection, and recreational opportunities on public lands.

With consumers skeptical about green product marketing, it’s critical that companies adopt rigorous and reputable labeling systems to build consumer awareness, understanding, and trust.

When delegates arrive in Vancouver this coming week from member countries around the world for a high-level United Nations session on forests, B.C. will have a rare opportunitiy to showcase the progress it’s made on sustainable forest management.

With all the global issues we face today — including poor air and water quality, climate risk, deforestation, poverty, and hunger — individuals and organizations alike are taking a proactive step to become part of the solution. And they are turning to trees to make a difference. There is a natural draw to tree planting and forests because there is an emotional and intuitive connection between trees and a healthier planet.

Project Learning Tree (PLT) Canada has a mission to educate youth about our forests and inspire a passion for the great outdoors. While youth today are being educated on the importance of our environment, the central role that forests play in all our lives is still not well understood.

Sustainable forestry is really about ensuring that we are deliving not just on economic, but environmental and social values as well. It means respecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights. It means collaboration. That is what this project is all about.

Woodland caribou are an iconic but threatened species throughout Canada. They’re natural prey to bears and wolves, who can gain easier access to Caribou habitat through forest roads, pipelines, and other human disturbances. In some places, these activities have thrown the predator-prey system off balance, and caribou have declined. Sustainable forest management can help.

The United Nations established the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples in 1994, and the day is observed every year on August 9. The goal is stronger international cooperation in solving issues specific to the more than 370 million indigenous peoples living in 90 countries around the globe. Focus areas include human rights, education, economic development, and the environment.

Remember staring out the window in math class as a kid? Or counting the minutes until spelling was over so you could go to recess? Project Learning Tree (PLT) embraces the fact that students would rather be outside than in and takes the teaching where they want to be.

We sat down with Kathy Abusow, President and CEO at Sustainable Forestry Initiative, to learn about her passion for forests, what everyday people can do to make our forests more sustainable, diversity in the sector, and much more.

First Nations have sustained themselves on the forest land-base for millennia. That fact explains our long-term view on forests, the environment and human and community health: decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is passionate about forests and sustainable forest products being used for projects that improve the shared quality of life of people all over the world. Last week, working with its partner, Habitat for Humanity, SFI put this passion into action with a team build in DC’s Southeast neighborhood which has a low homeownership rate compared to the DC average.

Though it sounds like a technical term more suited for computer programming, avicaching is actually a growing practice that encourages birders to collect and share their data from bird-watching through an internationally known phone app. This practice of citizen science began about a decade ago with eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, as a way to fill in the data gaps from underrepresented habitats.

Forest ecosystems sequester large amounts of carbon in vegetation and soils, off-setting the carbon emissions we produce and mitigating climate change. The boreal forest and its associated wetlands, in particular, provide critical carbon storage to the world. Wetlands throughout Canada store nearly 100 times the carbon emissions produced by Canada and the United States combined and roughly four times the emissions produced around the globe annually.

Mother’s Day didn’t always involve buying cards, flowers, and candy, but it’s always been about showing moms love and appreciation. Learn how Mother’s Day has evolved over time and get new ideas for celebrating this year.

Screen-Free Week lasts until May 6, so it’s not too late to unplug and play. Born out of a concern that digital entertainment dominates the lives of too many kids, Screen-Free Week is a call to spend less time online.

Happy Earth Day 2018! It’s estimated that there are about one trillion trees on Earth. Forests provide habitat for wildlife, clean the air we breathe, purify and regulate clean water sources, and provide countless other benefits that improve our lives. This Earth Day, we’re celebrating forests and all they do for us.

While British Columbians often associate exciting innovations with computer science and the Internet, our forest sector has been playing a substantial role in leading-edge technology. These new ideas have made our world a better place.

World Water Day focuses attention on the importance of water to healthy ecosystems, sustainable development, social and economic stability, health, and human survival. World Water Day was made official by the United Nations General Assembly and takes place every year on March 22. In fact, this year, it turns 25.

The International Day of Forests takes place every year on March 21. It was made official by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests in cleaning the air we breathe, filtering the water we drink, and helping mitigate climate change.

The sugar house will provide a hands-on workspace for Stafford students, as well as local high school students, to learn about the cultural, scientific, economic, and ecological aspects of maple syrup production in Vermont.

Throughout my 40-plus year professional forester career serving in both the public and private spheres, I’ve come to view forestry as an “ideal” business sector. That’s because good forestry conserves the whole range of environmental, social and economic forest values.

The longleaf pine ecosystem in the United States has shrunk from 90 million acres to just 3.4 million over time. Consequently, nearly thirty animal species that rely on it for habitat are now endangered or threatened. Natural longleaf pine forests have been replaced in the landscape by development and plantations of loblolly, slash and sand pine. What’s left of the existing longleaf pine range has been degraded by the exclusion of fire.

If your resolve is already waning, you’re in good company. According to one study by the University of Scranton, only eight percent of us see our resolutions through to the end of the year. Additional research by the university shows that blaming yourself for falling short doesn’t help, and neither does wishful thinking. What does help is changing your behavior, and the whole world is here to help. Look no further than your nearest forest.

Did you know that the steelhead fish is the same species as rainbow trout? The two varieties are only distinguished by their color and breeding habits. The steelhead is an endangered species in many parts of North America, and is at risk of becoming endangered in the Fraser Basin in British Columbia, Canada.

A sustainable forest is like a giant nest that protects the birds that live in it. Among forest wildlife, birds are especially important because they serve as early indicators of forest health, water quality, air quality, and climate change. Think of the bird in the forest as the canary in the coal mine.

So many of the products we buy in grocery chains, or retail clothing stores or over-the-counter at pharmacies, require packaging. After all, food, clothing and non-prescription personal care products are among the so-called fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) that, together, require sizable resources in the form of boxes, cartons, wrappers, paper labels and the like.

It’s widely accepted that there’s great strength in diversity, and that our world improves because of it. We see proof virtually everywhere we live, work and play — whether in nature, in the community sphere, or in the broader economy.

So many of the products we buy in grocery chains, or retail clothing stores or over-the-counter at pharmacies, require packaging. After all, food, clothing and non-prescription personal care products are among the so-called fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) that, together, require sizable resources in the form of boxes, cartons, wrappers, paper labels and the like.

Veterans Day is observed in the United States while Remembrance Day is observed in Canada on November 11 every year. Why November 11? It’s the day in 1918 that armed forces ceased fighting in World War I. The time, 11 a.m., also receives special acknowledgement around the world. Learn more about these two special holidays that recognize veterans in North America.

Halloween just wouldn’t be spookacular without spiders, owls, toads, bats, and other creatures of the night. But how did these specific animals make the cut?

So many of the products we buy in grocery chains, or retail clothing stores or over-the-counter at pharmacies, require packaging. After all, food, clothing and non-prescription personal care products are among the so-called fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) that, together, require sizable resources in the form of boxes, cartons, wrappers, paper labels and the like.

It’s hard to imagine a landscape that touches Canadians in as many diverse, important ways as our forests do. It’s equally difficult to think of another landscape that requires as much complex management. I recently participated in a briefing session of assistant deputy ministers involved in forests across Canada, and I can attest that the hard work, strong cooperation and broad engagement are the new normal.

Sourcing products from well‑managed forests certified to an independent third-party standard is an effective way to help your organisation meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other sustainability targets while helping forests. Of course, the idea that creating more commercial demand for forests products could actually help protect forests seems counterintuitive. But the more value we place on using forest products sustainably, the more we will keep forests as forests instead of letting them be converted to other uses.

Project Learning Tree and Sustainable Forestry Initiative are working together to teach students about the environment and actions they can take to conserve it.

Building a home for Annie Aningmuiq. The men took a back seat on Aug. 15 at an active construction site in Orléans. Instead, women took over the Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa build site off Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard. “Women’s groups, you’re fabulous,” said construction manager Steve Walsh, one of the few males on site that day. “You say, ‘give me direction.’’’

“Ten or 15 years ago, you never heard loggers talking about needing continuing education credits. I’ve been in this business for almost 40 years, and the kind of logger training in BMP compliance required by SFI has been a sea change,” said Dan Roach, public affairs director for Rayonier Inc.

A&A Trading Ltd. (A&A), a family-owned, forest company with operations on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, is working with local hikers to change the way people think about the forest industry.

Wood is a growing industry, so to speak. When sustainably harvested and managed, it is the greenest building material. That’s why codes are being revised and more, taller wood buildings are being built.

As a supporter of green building design, I am also an advocate for wood construction. Wood is imbued with some amazing physical properties; it’s natural, it’s renewable and, as a design element, it’s aesthetically captivating. That’s why architects like me, including those of us living and working in “The Natural State” of Arkansas and across the U.S. South, view timber from a responsibly managed forest to be a crucial tool in our design toolkit.

The National Scout Jamboree in the United States is a forest-friendly tradition that stretches back nearly 100 years. Held every four years, the 2017 National Scout Jamboree kicks off on July 19th and welcomes 25,000 Scouts, 10,000 adult leaders and thousands more Day Visitors from across the U.S. and around the world. It lasts through July 28. Take a peek behind the badge and learn some fun facts about Scouts and the Jamboree.

The National Scout Jamboree in the United States is a forest-friendly tradition that stretches back nearly 100 years. Held every four years, the 2017 National Scout Jamboree kicks off on July 19th and welcomes 25,000 Scouts, 10,000 adult leaders and thousands more Day Visitors from across the U.S. and around the world. It lasts through July 28. Take a peek behind the badge and learn some fun facts about Scouts and the Jamboree.

Every year, as Canadians celebrate Canada Day on July 1st, Americans get ready to celebrate July 4th. Canada Day marks the enactment of the Constitution Act of 1867, which united the British colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. This year Canada Day is particularly special because Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

While forestry remains solidly one of British Columbia’s most important industries, real change continues. For example, there has never been any doubt that hundreds of communities across B.C., from the coast to the Interior, rely on the forest industry for their livelihoods. But for many decades, First Nations did not participate widely in the success of the sector.

Surprise Dad this year with an eco-friendly outing to a well-managed forest near you. More than 285 million acres of forests throughout the U.S. and Canada are certified to the independent, non-profit Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Forest Management Standard, stretching from Canada’s boreal forest to the U.S. South.

It’s sometimes hard to pry our youth (and even ourselves) away from our digital devices and keyboards. With well over 80 percent of young Canadians active online, it seems many tend to venture outside less, stuck in a virtual world rather than the natural one. And, while youth in rural Ontario may have more opportunity to experience nature, in urban areas life can get in the way.

Consumers around the world are increasingly asking for environmentally responsible options when they make buying decisions. When it comes to wood, paper and packaging products, people want assurances that the forest they come from is managed responsibly. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a sustainability organization that stands for the future of forests. SFI delivers the supply chain assurance that today’s market leaders in the lumber and building materials industry are looking for.

It’s been a pleasure to have had numerous representatives of the PEFC family from around the world recently in Geneva for our annual “Members Meeting”. We’re glad to be able to report that there are now over 300 million hectares of certified forests endorsed by PEFC, which represents over 60% of the world’s certified forests.

The world’s forests already have a lot on their plate: Providing flood protection, drinking water purification, lumber, and recreation, plus habitat for about half the world’s mammals, birds, and insects.

The Boy Scouts of America not only offers a Sustainability merit badge, the group actually counts it among the required merit badges to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. In addition, sustainability components are woven throughout many other merit badges.