Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is a voluntary, market-based system for achieving sustainability in the forest products industry. FSC certification is growing quickly- the acreage of FSC certified forests in the U.S. doubled from 2005 to 2006 to nearly 25 million acres. Yet FSC certification is inaccessible to most private landowners and small mills due to the cost and administrative requirements. The Southern Forests Network’s Group Certification Program will provide private forestlands and small facilities with FSC certification and technical assistance.

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When first introduced on a commercial basis about 25 years ago portable thin kerf band sawmills drew little attention from the commercial forest industry but the low cost of the units combined with their capacity to produce fine quality lumber, even when run by neophytes, led to enthusiastic acceptance of the new concept by hobbyists, farmers, and others wanting to saw relatively small quantities of inexpensive lumber to support personal needs. More importantly, the availability of this new technology provided a tool to profitably turn previously useless and worthless trees into valuable lumber with an initial investment less than the cost of a small tractor.

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[Vermont] Warmer-than-usual winters are throwing things out of kilter, causing confusion among maple syrup producers, called sugar makers, and stoking fears for the survival of New England’s maple forests. While some farmers and other Vermonters suggest the recent warm years could be just a cyclical hiccup of nature or the result of El Niño, many maple researchers now say it seems more like a long-term trend. Since 1971, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data, winter temperatures in the Northeast have increased by 2.8 degrees.

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[Oregon] Owners of some timberlands surrounding the Portland area have done their best to go green… But until this year, most of those timber owners …lacked an outlet to consumers willing to spend more for wood harvested under strict environmental standards. The struggle to build a connection between supply and demand for environmental lumber is emblematic of the obstacles facing the green building industry. The FSC-certified lumber market has had a boost from national and regional green building programs… The transformation of trees from eco-friendly forests into eco-friendly home improvement products requires extensive tracking and participation from every element of the lumber supply chain to meet the stewardship council standards. Timberland owners, sawmills, lumberyards and builder-developers must all be involved. Closing gaps in the system is the key to making it all work.

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Columbia Commercial Flooring today announced plans to roll out formaldehyde-free, FSC-certified engineered hardwood flooring to the commercial segment in 2007. Columbia Commercial will market its formaldehyde-free flooring as PureBond(TM), the brand created by parent company Columbia Forest Products for its decorative hardwood plywood. Columbia Vice President of Sales and Marketing Lance Rooney said. “Being able to offer both formaldehyde-free and FSC-certified hardwood flooring to the commercial market is not only a point of differentiation in the marketplace, it’s something we believe is crucial to our future.”

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The adoption of Ecological Classification Systems, also called ECS, has been driven, in part, by foresters’ professional development interests and a need to address a broader range of ecological considerations in decision-making. ECS had also gained increased importance in recent years because of the need to meet forest management certification standards. This report provides an overview of Ecological Classification Systems, how they are developed and used, and how they fit

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[Louisiana] The Louisiana Mississippi Watershed Project (LMWP) — a cooperative effort of the Forest Service, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the Louisiana Forestry Association — is aimed at restoring some of the hardwood forests in the delta region. The project, made possible by a federal grant administered by the Forest Service, is very similar in purpose to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), but is structured differently. Like CREP, the goal is to re-plant neglected or marginal farmland with native flora. Unlike CREP, where farmers can plant native grasses or pine trees, the LMWP only plants native hardwood trees.

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A year ago, eleven sustainable forestry leaders and entrepreneurs from across the U.S. began conversations on how, as a group, they might better coordinate efforts, pool resources and knowledge, and stimulate market awareness and production capacity. Today, with generous support from the Citigroup Foundation, this group has launched the Community Forestry Business Alliance, a consortium to focus on the manufacturing and marketing of wood products made in ways that restore or maintain forest health while contributing to local community economic development. Sustainable Northwest is coordinating and leading this pioneering effort. We are currently recruiting new members from across the country to join in our efforts. In the Southeast, contact Alyx Perry at the Southern Forests Network, alyx@southernsustainableforests.org, 828-277-9008

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Much of the United States has been warmer in recent years, and that affects which trees are right for planting. Based on the latest comprehensive weather station data, The National Arbor Day Foundation has just released a new 2006 arborday.org Hardiness Zone Map which separates the country into ten different temperature zones to help people select the right trees to plant where they live. The new map reflects that many areas have become warmer since 1990 when the last USDA hardiness zone map was published. Significant portions of many states have shifted at least one full hardiness zone.

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Columbia Commercial Flooring today announced plans to roll out formaldehyde-free, FSC-certified engineered hardwood flooring to the commercial segment in 2007. Columbia Commercial will market its formaldehyde-free flooring as PureBond(TM), the brand created by parent company Columbia Forest Products for its decorative hardwood plywood. Columbia Vice President of Sales and Marketing Lance Rooney said. “Being able to offer both formaldehyde-free and FSC-certified hardwood flooring to the commercial market is not only a point of differentiation in the marketplace, it’s something we believe is crucial to our future.”

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org

[Tennessee] State environmentalists are excited about what Gov. Phil Bredesen calls “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” — the chance to preserve almost 200 square miles of forestland on the Upper Cumberland Plateau. Bredesen, … said his state budget request for next fiscal year will include money to help preserve about 124,000 acres of property …currently owned by a timber company. When timber companies sell off huge tracts of land, they’re often bought by developers looking to chop them up into subdivisions, Safer said. All the property and timber rights the governor wants to buy are owned by GMO, a Boston, Mass.-based timberland investment management organization. The Lyme Timber Co., which would partner in the investment, would get a 10-year timber lease-back agreement as part of the deal, allowing it to harvest trees in the area, Hancock said.
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Support to enhance certification of family forestlands
[Minnesota] Forest certification continues to grow in the United States with nearly 150 million acres now certified. However, most of the certified land in the country is in large public and private ownerships. Only about 4 million of the 250 million acres of family forestland in the U.S. are enrolled in a certification program.“Private forests account for nearly 60% of America’s forestland,” says Craig Liska, Vice President of Sustainability at Verso Paper. “As a company that depends upon the health of these forests, we are committed to supporting efforts that encourage certification and responsible forestry on America’s family forests.” To show their commitment, Verso Paper has recently become a founding sponsor for the FSC Family Forests Alliance. The Alliance is a collaborative effort between organizations around the country that work regionally to support family forest certification.


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