More than 2 million acres of Wisconsin's privately owned forest lands enrolled in the Managed Forest Law (MFL) Program have been awarded Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation by the SmartWood Program of the Rainforest Alliance.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Matthew Frank accepted the FSC certificate from SmartWood Regional Manager David Bubser at the December 16 meeting of the Wisconsin Council on Forestry in Madison.
Forest certification is a process that communicates to consumers that timber (and products made from certified wood) has been grown and harvested in a way that meets strict environmental and social standards. The certifying agency is an independent third party (such as SmartWood). The Smartwood seal of approval certifies that sustainable forestry is practiced on the enrolled lands. A growing number of companies and consumers have a preference for forest products originating in sustainably managed forests. Wisconsin's state and county forests also have been certified in recent years
"The SmartWood certification of private forest lands enrolled in the MFL Program is significant economically as well as environmentally because these private lands provide the majority of timber that fuels the state's forest products industry," according to DNR Secretary Frank. "Third-party certification not only benefits the landowners; it provides a society-wide benefit, an assurance for the citizens of Wisconsin that the state's forest resources are well-managed and will be available into the future."
Certification is a kind of "seal of approval" for forest owners, according to Paul Pingrey, DNR forest certification specialist. Owners with forest lands in the MFL Program can expect additional benefits from certification. A growing number of companies are indicating a preference for wood coming from certified lands, so these landowners will have more buyers wanting wood harvested from their properties. Loggers cutting timber on certified land tend to be more careful because auditors check their work. Carbon sequestration markets that pay landowners premiums for ecosystem services also require forest certification as a prerequisite.
The SmartWood award follows a rigorous audit of the MFL program that was initiated last March. A team of experienced auditors selected properties to visit in nine counties as a representative sample of the approximately 41,000 private parcels enrolled in the MFL Tree Farm Group. They looked for confirmation that the DNR and MFL participants plan and conduct forest management activities that incorporate measures for risks related to timber harvesting, pesticide use, roads and trails, stream crossings, endangered species protection, respecting Native American cultural sites, etc. The reviewers contacted hundreds of stakeholders to appraise whether the DNR carefully administers the MFL program consistent with FSC standards.
"Kudos to Wisconsin for its vision and determination in bringing the benefits of FSC certification to private landowners through the MFL program," Bubser said. "This is a significant achievement. The MFL program is now the largest FSC group certification in the world and establishes Wisconsin as a true global leader in promoting and practicing responsible forest management on all types of forest ownerships. Demonstrating that certified responsible forestry on private land is within practical reach on a large and meaningful scale is truly a milestone for the forestry community and sets the stage for others to follow."
Bubser emphasized that, in the years ahead, SmartWood will continue to engage MFL members, the DNR, and interested stakeholders in verifying that MFL members uphold the rigorous standards of the FSC. "Our job is to ensure that the integrity and transparency of the FSC is maintained so that the benefits of responsible forestry -- such as clean air, clean water, healthy wildlife, biodiversity and sustainable economies and jobs -- continue to flow to MFL members, forest based communities, and the citizens of Wisconsin," Bubser said.
"While more than 254 million acres of forests are FSC-certified worldwide, this is the first large-scale recognition of family forests," according to Corey Brinkema, president of FSC's U.S affiliate.
Most other certified lands are in public or large industrial ownerships. By early 2009, more than 45 percent - about half -- of Wisconsin's 16 million acres of forests lands will be certified.
"The certification award from SmartWood is recognition of the responsible management that is a hallmark of Wisconsin forestry, the results of which benefit all Wisconsin citizens, according to Chief State Forester Paul DeLong. "I believe MFL certification can act as a springboard to attracting additional private forest landowners to make a commitment to be good stewards of their woodlands and help keep our forest lands in forest, providing environmental, economic and social benefits for generations to come."
Forest certification in Wisconsin was originally launched in 2004 as part of Gov. Jim Doyle's "Grow Wisconsin" initiative. Forest certification provides a way to advance an important part of the state's economy. Forestry and forestry-related businesses produce more than $20 billion annually and account for 1 in 7 manufacturing jobs. Many of these businesses rely on a supply of locally grown certified wood in order to compete in global markets. The state's forests also make a $9.7 billion annual contribution to tourism and recreation.
Almost 3 million acres of privately owned forest land currently participate in the MFL Program, a landowner incentive program that provides tax benefits to participating landowners in exchange for owner commitments to sustainable forestry management practices. The bulk of MFL land - 2.2 million acres - is owned by family forest owners who have voluntarily chosen to participate in the MFL Tree Farm Group. The average-sized parcel these individuals own is about 53 acres.
The MFL program was first organized as an American Tree Farm System group in 2005. Tree Farm is noted for technical forestry support to small landowners and educational outreach. The FSC system is a complementary program with global product recognition and acceptance by environmental and social activist groups. Dual certification by Tree Farm and FSC increases value to landowners and businesses wanting to sell environmentally friendly goods made from responsibly managed forests.
Since certification must be voluntary, MFL participants were given the chance to "opt-out" of the American Tree Farm and FSC programs. Only 2 percent of the eligible landowners decided against participating. Certification adds land management precautions in addition to MFL program requirements, such as restricting the use of some pesticides and prohibition against mixing wood from non-certified land.
SmartWood is a program of the Rainforest Alliance, and is an FSC-accredited certifier with a regional office in Northfield, Minnesota. SmartWood was awarded the DNR contract for FSC audits after competitive bidding, according to Pingrey. Visits to MFL Group properties will continue on an annual basis for 5 years, during which time DNR and MFL participants will address any corrective actions needed to maintain FSC certification. DNR has pledged to pay all audit expenses related to the MFL Group certifications, keeping the program free to small landowners.
For more information, contact: Paul Pingrey, 608.267-7595.Wisconsin DNR
