Washington, D.C.— The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) announces the establishment of two SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative Advisory Committees, one in the United States and one in Canada, to shape the activities and outputs of the SFI Climate Smart Forestry (SFI CSF) Initiative on climate-informed forest management practices, science syntheses, and knowledge sharing across North America.
In 2024, SFI launched the Climate Smart Forestry Initiative to advance Objective 9 (Climate Smart Forestry) of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard. Objective 9 requires organizations certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard to consider and implement actions to reduce the negative effects of climate change and adapt to changing conditions. The SFI CSF Initiative is a collaborative effort to identify and implement climate-informed, data-driven forestry practices that address climate change through adaptive management, enhanced carbon storage, and increased forest resilience.
“These Advisory Committees will ensure that the SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative is guided by the knowledge and experience of diverse national leaders” said Lauren T. Cooper, Chief Conservation Officer at SFI. “By bringing together experts in forest management, research, and conservation, we will advance the role of our forests as important natural climate solutions, increasing the resiliency of our communities and forests to climate change.”
The SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative Advisory Committees consist of leadership from Indigenous partners, academic institutions, research and conservation organizations, and large forest landowners from the United States and Canada. See below for a complete list of members:
Canadian SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative Advisory Committee
- Alexis Achim, Canada Research Chair in Silviculture Adapted to Climate Change; Professor, Wood and Forest Sciences, Université Laval
- Samuel Bourque, Certification Manager, Domtar and Quebec SIC lead
- Sara Cotter, Coordinator – Certification and Compliance, Canfor
- Sionaid Eggett, Certification Coordinator, Ontario Woodlot Association
- Trevor Jones, Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada
- Marie-Michele Rousseau-Clair, Chief Conservation Officer, Nature Conservancy of Canada
- Vincent Roy, Science Partnerships and Knowledge Mobilization Director, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada
- Chief Lindsay Tighe, General Manager, Stuwix Resources
United States SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative Advisory Committee
- Ben Cazell, Director of Sustainability, Rayonier
- Caitlin Clarke, Director, Policy & External Affairs, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group
- Andi Colnes, Deputy Director and Climate Fellow, New England Forestry Foundation
- Joe Fargione, Science Director, North America, The Nature Conservancy
- Maria Janowiak, Director, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub & Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
- Bruce Ripley, Chief Innovation Officer, University of Idaho College of Natural Resources
- Peter Stein, Managing Director, The Lyme Timber Company
- Bryan Van Stippen, Program Director, National Indian Carbon Coalition
The SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative has received financial support from the Canadian and United States governments as well as the Doris Duke Foundation. With support of these sponsors, the program has resources to convene, collaborate, and implement practices on the ground with Indigenous partners, conservation organizations, forest managers, scientists, and decision makers. Together, with guidance from the National Advisory Committees, the SFI CSF Initiative will provide grants to landowners to identify and implement climate-informed, data-driven forestry practices that address climate change through adaptive management, enhanced carbon storage, and increased forest resilience.
For more information about SFI Climate Smart Forestry Initiative, visit forests.org/climate-smart-forestry.
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
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
