|
Center Pushing FSC Chain of Custody for Loggers
The Center has developed the Group Building Program (GBP) to assist in the development of group certificates and is particularly well for assisting with logging chain of custody. Improving logger chain of custody capacity is still one of the  supply chain issues needing attention in various regions of the U.S. Recently the Center has been involved in discussions over logger certification and chain of custody issues in Michigan and North Carolina. In both cases there is a need to increase chain of custody participation by loggers. All parties involved in the FSC supply chains in these states understand these issues and are working towards developing effective and fiscally efficient mechanisms to encourage logger participation in FSC chain of custody. The GBP is functionally a group manager incubator designed to facilitate the development of self-sustaining groups. While the GBP is designed to work for developing both FM and CoC groups, it is particularly well suited to logging chain of custody. The GBP provides a flexible and low risk mechanism for entities wishing to initiate a group providing time to build experience in group management, develop group management policies and procedures, and understand the costs associated with managing their group. Click here for more information on the Group Building Program.
|
|
Southeast Region FSC Meeting
FSC - US has scheduled a one-day meeting to be held in Atlanta, GA on October 24, 2012 to address opportunities and challenges in building the marketplace for FSC-certified products in the southeast. An agenda and registration are available here.
Please visit the Center's website to learn more about the meeting including contact information for the organizers.
|
|
FSC Controlled Wood -
Effort and Concern Continues
As indicated in the last E-News Control Wood Update the FSC US Controlled Wood Working Group continues with its work to develop a recommendation for a national risk assessment for the U.S. The working group recently met in Wilmington, NC to work on a range of issues including forest conversion issues in the southeast. Defining the impact of controlled wood  harvesting relative to HCVF's and developing appropriate mechanisms for defining conversion as well as determining the best data bases and information sources to make decisions is currently the groups focus. Over the course of the last two months since the last E-News update there continues to be concern and a degree of confusion on controlled wood issues from individual and group certificate holders. This is especially so from those currently undergoing auditing of industry derived risk assessments. Unfortunately, all those involved in controlled wood issues including certificate holders, CBs, and their auditors will continue to be challenged until clearer direction can be provided by FSC and ultimately approval of the U.S. national risk assessment. Please contact Jeff Stringer, social chamber member of the working group, if you have comments regarding controlled wood issues.
|
|
Leading Publishers
Collaborating on SFI Certification
SFI announced a partnership of leading publishers including Time Inc., National Geographic, Pearson and McMillian that are founding partners of the SFI Forest Partners Program. The SFI Forest Partners program is designed to support and facilitate forest certification and the certified sourcing of forest products. The program specifically provides a means were market leaders can work collectively with SFI participants to make certification easier through shared consulting, group certification and by coordinating certification auditing. Time Inc., a leader in the publishing industry has been a driving force behind certification in the U.S. and continues its involvement with a wide range of certification efforts including the Center for Forest and Wood Certification. To find out more about the SFI Forest Partners Program click here for the September 12, 2012 press release from SFI.
|
|
Center Trains
Agency Foresters on Certification
With funding and in-kind support from the Kentucky Division of Forestry, the Center for Forest and Wood Certification staff members trained  foresters from the Kentucky Division of Forestry, Natural Resources Conservation Services, and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The one day training that was held at three different locations across Kentucky and covered all aspects of certification. Foresters were trained on the goals of the Center for Forest and Wood Certification, chain-of-custody certification, supply chain management, certification labels and claims, and forest management certification requirements for family forests. These trainings would potentially be available for other state agencies and if you wish to put on certification trainings for your state contact us.
|
|
Better Know a Standard
A continuing online feature of the Center is the detailed discussion of a portion of a certification system's forest management or chain-of-custody standard. The issue's Better Know a Standard focuses on Indicator 4.2.2 from the American Tree Farm System. This portion of the ATFS standard deals with the requirement that pesticides be EPA-approved. Please click here to learn guidance and how the center can assist group members in meeting this specific portion of the standard.
|
|
Center Sponsors and Support
The Center wishes to thank our sustaining and supporting sponsors. Particular thanks are given to corporate sponsors providing sustaining multiple year commitments including Time Inc., Domtar Corporation, Kentucky Division of Forestry, and NewPage Corp. Sustaining contributions are also being provided by the Mountain Association for Community and Economic Development, University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Department of Forestry, and the Kentucky Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee. Center also wishes to thank organizations for providing endorsement of the Center including the Kentucky Forest Industry Association, Tennessee Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee, Kentucky Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters, and the Kentucky Woodland Owner Association. More information about are partners and how you can support the Center's mission, goals, and projects please visit here.
|
|
| Acres Certified | |
Industrial - 4,450
Family Forests - 3,801
|
| Chain of Custody Certificates | |
Logger - 44
Primary - 4
Secondary - 11
Reclaim - 2
|
| Assistance |
The Center is geared up to assist any stakeholder group with help with their certification efforts. Whether you need to get your industrial forest certified, need assistance with your company's sustainability policy, need technical assistance in writing your sawmill's policies and procedures manual, or need to learn what goes in a certified management plan the Center can support and aid in your certification needs. Contact us toll free at 855.579.2690 to begin the process. |
| Contact Us | |
Toll-free:
1-855-579-2690
|
|
