NEWS RELEASES

Washington, DC and Ottawa, ON — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree (PLT) are hosting a joint annual conference from June 14-16, in Madison, Wisconsin.

The 2022 SFI/PLT Annual Conference will be a week filled with learning and opportunities to discuss the most-pressing issues and challenges facing the planet and people, including how sustainable forest management and environmental education can provide solutions. Past attendees include CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, conservation and community leaders, Indigenous representatives, forest managers, educators, PLT coordinators, university faculty and students, and government officials.

What: SFI invites media to attend the 2022 SFI/PLT Annual Conference and join the joint SFI-PLT sessions (PLT-only sessions are closed to the public).

Credentials will be available to those who register and are formally affiliated with established outlets. Interviews will be available. For more information, please contact Christine Leduc, VP, Communications and Government Relations, SFI, 613-706-1114 or media@forests.org.

When: Tuesday, June 14–Thursday June 16, 2022

Where: The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, 1 W Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703

Why: This year’s conference offers engaging ideas and thought-provoking themes, presented by a great lineup of speakers. Takeaways will include: best practices on climate-smart forestry and fire resiliency; knowledge and tools to meet and report on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets; ways to become a leader in advancing opportunities for diverse communities; and resources to support a forest-literate society.

Speakers include:

• Randy Moore, Chief, USDA Forest Service
• Heather Berklund, Chief State Forester, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
• Mike Doss, President and CEO, Graphic Packaging International
• Deb Fillis Ryba, Global Director of CSR and Sustainability, Nice-Pak and PDI
• Dan Lambe, President, Arbor Day Foundation and SFI Board member
• Asia Dowtin, Assistant Professor of Urban and Community Forestry, Michigan State University
• Steve Rigdon, General Manager of Yakama Forest Products

Session highlights:

• Collaborating to Meet ESG Targets: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks are becoming increasingly important to investors, policy makers, regulators, consumers, employees, and civil society. Learn about the importance of ESG to investors, the forest sector’s evolution to meet ESG targets, and how SFI’s programs offer additional value in ESG and sustainability reporting.
• Fire and Climate Resiliency—Healthy Forests and Community Engagement: Sustainably managed forests are among our most important tools for addressing climate change and wildfire risk. Learn how SFI-certified organizations are addressing new SFI requirements on climate-smart forestry and fire resilience and awareness.
• SFI Conservation Impact Project—A Decade of Success: This session will review two critical projects that contributed to SFI’s Conservation Impact portfolio, which are included in the recently released report: “SFI’s Conservation Impact: A Decade of Success.” Learn how Conservation Impact is changing the perception of how forest and fiber supply chains can drive conservation outcomes relative to climate change, biodiversity, and water.
• Advancing Opportunities for Diverse Communities in the Forest Sector: Transformative solutions are needed to create more inclusive, sustainable communities. Learn about efforts by SFI and partners to support career awareness, recruitment, mentorship, and other opportunities that will help the forest and conservation sector advance a diverse and resilient workforce.
• Growing Forest Literate Citizens: By gaining forest literacy, people acquire the tools and knowledge they need to keep our forests sustainable over the long term, while continuing to benefit from them. We will explore the role of the private and public sectors in supporting a forest literate society and available tools to advance that goal.
• Urban and Community Forests—Collaborating for Environmental and Social Health: Urban and community forests deliver social, environmental, and economic benefits. Explore how urban and community forests provide opportunities to engage new audiences through management practices and education tools.

For a full list of activities and speakers, please visit the conference website.