{"id":19603,"date":"2015-10-15T15:13:56","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T15:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=19603"},"modified":"2023-03-22T13:27:24","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T17:27:24","slug":"global-forestry-leaders-express-mutual-support-for-advancing-sustainable-forestry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/global-forestry-leaders-express-mutual-support-for-advancing-sustainable-forestry\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Forestry Leaders Express Mutual Support for Advancing Sustainable Forestry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Washington D.C., Geneva Switzerland<\/strong> \u2014 The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI), American Forest\u00a0Foundation (AFF)<\/a> and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)<\/a> made\u00a0announcements this week expressing mutual support for new approaches to forest management planning\u00a0and certification, which will help streamline forest certification, and ensure access to the global marketplace.<\/p>\n

Among these efforts, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS)<\/a> announced a joint effort by AFF, the Florida\u00a0Forest Service and the University of Florida<\/a> for a pilot landscape management plan to encourage sustainable\u00a0forestry and bring more wood grown on family-owned forests into the sustainable global supply chain.<\/p>\n

Both SFI and ATFS are endorsed by PEFC, which helps both certification systems connect effectively to the\u00a0global marketplace. All three certification systems provide guidelines for management, to ensure that forests\u00a0are managed to the highest possible environmental and sustainability standards. The SFI label, which can be\u00a0found on a variety of products emanating from sustainable forests, helps consumers know that they\u2019re\u00a0purchasing products that represent responsible forestry.<\/p>\n

\u201cAFF\u2019s innovative approach will ensure many more American family forest owners have access to tools such\u00a0as certification which is increasingly required by retailers. Family forest owners worldwide in our 40 national\u00a0certification systems will be able to benefit from this approach. This is a very exciting development,\u201d said\u00a0Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC International.<\/p>\n

The new certification approach will reduce barriers for landowners and look at management planning from\u00a0the landscape level, taking into account conservation priorities and the latest science. It aims to improve\u00a0overall forest health and conserve and promote benefits for habitat, biodiversity and clean water. “Our\u00a0success during the past 75 years is in part to our deep understanding of family woodland owners and their\u00a0needs,\u201d said AFF President and CEO Tom Martin. \u201cOur woodland owners offer enormous possibilities for both\u00a0forest stewardship and sustainable wood sourcing. But in order to tap this potential we must build longlasting,\u00a0meaningful relationships with them, continuously provide them with tools, and support them over\u00a0the long term ownership of their land.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTime Inc. strongly supports the growth of certification in the supply chain. As a founder of the SFI Forest\u00a0Partners Program, we were pleased to recognize the Florida Forest Service\u2019s leadership in achieving SFI\u00a0certification on state lands last week,\u201d said Guy Gleysteen, Senior Vice President of Production at Time Inc.\u201d\u00a0The Florida Forest Service leadership and commitment to responsible forestry is demonstrated even further\u00a0by their partnership with AFF and the University of Florida to grow small land certification in the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis really puts all the pieces of the sustainable forestry story together from the local to the global level. We\u00a0have an innovative initiative happening through AFF with small landholders that links them to the continentwide\u00a0reach of SFI in North America, which in turn is connected to the international level by PEFC. The more\u00a0we work together at the local level and with our global partners, like ATFS and PEFC, we can help connect\u00a0the dots between landowners, brand owners and customers around the world who are looking for\u00a0integrated, sustainable, supply chains,\u201d said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy participating in the SFI Forest Partners Program, we are helping infuse the forest products industry with\u00a0an increased supply of certified timber. Although responsible forest management has been a priority of the\u00a0Florida Forest Service since the beginning, this new certification provides conscientious consumers with the\u00a0guarantee that our focus is on protecting, renewing and sustaining healthy forests,\u201d said Jim Karels, Florida State Forester. \u201cNow that we have achieved SFI certification of our state lands, we are in a stronger\u00a0position to work on growing certification across small landowners in partnership with ATFS.\u201d<\/p>\n

Integrating a sustainable supply chain from the local to the global level is a key priority for SFI, a theme that\u00a0was reinforced at the SFI Annual Conference\u00a0 in Olympic Valley, California last week. Presentations and panel\u00a0discussions focused on the local to global challenges and opportunities, involving Tom Martin and the\u00a0leadership of PEFC. The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and\u00a0Consumer Services, recently achieved certification\u00a0 of two of Florida\u2019s largest state forests, Blackwater River\u00a0and Tate\u2019s Hell State Forests, to the SFI 2015-2021 Forest Management Standard .<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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