{"id":18830,"date":"2012-07-25T16:31:41","date_gmt":"2012-07-25T16:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18830"},"modified":"2023-03-22T15:59:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T19:59:58","slug":"18830-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/18830-2\/","title":{"rendered":"SFI Conservation Grants to Focus on Protecting Water Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC<\/strong> \u2013 Two prominent American research and education institutions received conservation grants from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative\u00ae<\/sup> (SFI\u00ae<\/sup>) today to advance knowledge about working forests and water resources.<\/p>\n

The grants, totaling nearly $20,000, have been awarded to the South Carolina Forestry Foundation and the University of Tennessee Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking forests are vital to South Carolina\u2019s environment, economy and way of life,\u201d said Cam Crawford, CEO of the South Carolina Forestry Foundation. He said the foundation will use its $10,000 grant to conduct advanced conservation courses for educators in 2012 and 2013. \u201cThis graduate-level learning opportunity will allow educators to see how sustainable forest management and SFI certification protect water resources while providing advanced environmental education training.\u201d<\/p>\n

Partners in this project include the South Carolina SFI Implementation Committee, South Carolina Forestry Commission, South Carolina Timber Producers Association and South Carolina Tree Farm Committee.<\/p>\n

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture\u2019s Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center \u2014 which develops improvements to modern forestry and environmental stewardship \u2014 will receive $9,500 to install and test new erosion control methods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis grant will support research into improving access road construction and strengthening logger training and public outreach,\u201d said Dr. Kevin P. Hoyt, director of the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center. \u201cThese are important forest management and fiber sourcing requirements in the SFI Standard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Project partners include the University of Tennessee\u2019s Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, Tennessee SFI Implementation Committee, Tennessee Forestry Association and Rogers Group Inc.<\/p>\n

SFI Inc. created the Conservation & Community Partnerships Grant Program in 2010 to foster collaboration between organizations focused on improving forest management in the United States and Canada and promoting responsible procurement globally.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur conservation grant projects bring together non-profit, industry, government and academic partners to conduct cutting edge research into improving forestry practices and understanding sustainable resource management,\u201d SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. \u201cThis year we focused on water resources, reinforcing our commitment to best management practices through both our standard and the work of our community-based SFI Implementation Committees.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abusow said these research projects leverage additional resources and represent a total investment of $4.8 million invested in forestry research, with a total SFI commitment since 2010 of $1.27 million. This year a total of five SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants were awarded to support protecting water resources.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

SFI EN BREF<\/a><\/h4>\r\nSIGN UP<\/b><\/a> to receive our Monthly Newsletter.\r\n
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>