NEWS RELEASES
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) announces Lauren T. Cooper as its new Chief Conservation Officer
Cooper is well respected among the forest sector, academic communities, and the SFI® network. She has exceptional knowledge and experience in climate smart forestry and applied science and is well-respected internationally for her work in assessing forest-based climate finance and for linking wood utilization to sustainability. Cooper was one of two research scientists at Michigan State University (MSU) who led a study entitled “Linking Climate Change, Forests, and Certification” that included a qualitative analysis of SFI programmatic documents, interviews with key informants, and observations of SFI training activities. The resulting report informed the development of the Climate Smart Forestry objective in SFI’s 2022 Forest Management Standard.
Leading Standards And Urban Forestry Partners Collaborate To Develop A New SFI Urban And Community Forest Sustainability Standard
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce the launch of a partnership to develop a new SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard for application in North America and potentially globally. SFI will collaborate with five urban forestry leaders: American Forests, Arbor Day Foundation, the International Society of Arboriculture, the Society of Municipal Arborists, and Tree Canada.
SFI Awarded NFWF Grant To Enhance Songbird Habitat In West Virginia Through Sustainable Forest Management
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce a grant award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) designed to engage landowners in West Virginia on forest management that benefits bird species. The project will focus on three at-risk bird species: the golden-winged warbler, the cerulean warbler, and the wood thrush. This project highlights SFI’s commitment to collaborating on sustainability solutions and elevating the conservation benefits of SFI certified lands.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative and Project Learning Tree Canada welcome launch of 2 Billion Trees initiative
Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), provided the following statement regarding the recent announcement by Minister Seamus O’Regan on the launch of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees initiative.
SFI Conservation Grant to Help North Carolina State University Study Climate Change Mitigation and Preventing Biodiversity Loss in Forests
North Carolina State University is investigating the crucial role that SFI-certified forests play in facilitating landscape connectivity in a changing climate. Landscape connectivity represents the extent to which a landscape supports the ability of plants and animals to move across the landscape. Some species with a limited range, like salamanders or pitcher plants, depend on connected landscapes to maintain healthy populations.
Executive Director of Canadian Parks Council Joins Sustainable Forestry Initiative Board of Directors
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada), an initiative of SFI, are pleased to welcome Dawn Carr, Executive Director of the Canadian Parks Council, to SFI’s 18-member Board of Directors.
139 Printers Achieve Largest Group Certification to the SFI Chain-Of-Custody Standard
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce that 139 printers have certified to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard. This is the largest SFI group certification of any industry to the standard. The group includes printers from coast to coast in major cities and markets in the U.S.
SFI Community Grants Strengthen Connections Between Forests and Communities to Advance Local Sustainability Solutions
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced 10 SFI Community Grants today featuring collaboration between 40 partner organizations. This commitment to local communities helps SFI achieve its mission of advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.
Shaping the SFI Standards: 60 day Comment Period Now Open
SFI’s mission is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. SFI invites all interested parties to participate in the SFI Standards Revision process. Working together is critical to ensuring the sustainability of our planet.
SFI Grant to Examine the Role of Forest Certification in Advancing Conservation Outcomes in the U.S. Southeast
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is collaborating on research with the University of Georgia to assess the positive impact of the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard on water quality and biodiversity in the Southern Coastal Plain of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The study region, which is home to many imperiled species including the gopher tortoise and red cockaded woodpecker, could be favorably affected by the application of sustainable forestry practices, including those promoted by the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard and the SFI Forest Management Standard.
NCASI Foundation Receives Federal Conservation Grant for Collaborative Research Directed at Protecting At-Risk Species
The NCASI Foundation has received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to help support a public/private effort to quantify the links between sustainable forest management and conservation of at-risk species.
SFI Announces New Board Members with Expertise on Key Sustainability Issues
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is pleased to announce the election of three new members to its board of directors: Jad Daley, President and CEO, American Forests, Dr. Patricia Layton, Director of Clemson University’s Wood Utilization + Design Institute and Professor of Forestry at Clemson University, and Jeff Bromley, United Steelworkers Wood Council Chair.
Cowbell Brewing Co. Wins the SFI-Certified Wood Award Celebrating the Beauty and Benefits of Wood
Cowbell Brewing Co. won the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Certified Wood Award today for using responsibly sourced wood products in the design of North America’s first carbon neutral brewery. The award is part of the Wood Design & Building Awards program. Allan Avis Architects received the award at the Toronto Wood Solutions Fair in Toronto on November 22.
Evolution of the SFI Standards: SFI Launches Standard Revision
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) launched the process to revise and update the SFI standard requirements at the SFI Annual Conference today. A conference workshop marked the official start of the revision process with over 200 members of the SFI community taking part.
The Yakama Nation Wins the SFI President’s Award for Advancing Sustainable Forest Management and Commitment to SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced the 2019 winner of the SFI President’s Award at the SFI Annual Conference today.
Emily Jo Williams and Healy Hamilton Win SFI Conservation Leadership Award for Championing SFI’s Conservation Impact Project
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced the 2019 winners of the SFI Conservation Leadership Award at the SFI Annual Conference today. Emily Jo Williams, Vice President, Migratory Birds and Habitats at the American Bird Conservancy, and Dr. Healy Hamilton, NatureServe’s Chief Scientist are being recognized for their leadership in facilitating projects that illustrate conservation values on lands certified to the SFI standards or affected by SFI Fiber Sourcing.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
David Folkerson
Vice-President, Communications
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-565-0627
media@forests.org