NEWS RELEASES

 WASHINGTON –The independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) forest certification program is inviting applications for its highly successful Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants program, which is now in its third year and continues to support research and outreach on responsible forestry.

“SFI Inc. has invested over $1.1 million in 24 projects since 2010,” SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. “With the help of the over 125 partners involved, the SFI Conservation and Community Grant Program has directly supported activities and community events which improve forest management activities and engage the younger generation in responsible forestry.”

Today, SFI Inc. builds on this success by opening its 2012 Request for Proposals (RFP), inviting applications for projects that illustrate or inform the role of SFI in supporting water resources. Projects must illustrate the role of SFI Standard requirements in protecting water quality and quantity, such as building on the vast knowledge on the effectiveness of best management practices for water quality (BMPs) and how the SFI standard supports the implementation of BMPs. In addition to the topic of water resources, SFI Inc. will accept exploratory research proposals on projects relating to the role of SFI certification in mitigating or adapting to climate change, in expectation that these exploratory projects will result in expanded projects in 2013, when additional funds will be available. Of the 24 projects which have received support from the SFI Grant Program since 2010, many were multi-year projects which are still ongoing; reducing the funding available for grants in 2012. As a result, there is $85,000 available for funding in 2012 for conservation projects and SFI will direct up to $35,000 for already identified community grants focusing on supporting young people’s involvement in forestry and natural resources activities and careers.

The SFI 2010-2014 Standard is based on 14 core principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, and encourages community involvement. The SFI program is the only forest certification standard in North America that requires participants to support and engage in research activities to improve forestry forest health, productivity and sustainable management of forest resources. Since 1995, SFI-certified organizations have contributed more than $1.1 billion (US) for research activities that support forestry research, science and technology.