Original Publish Date 1/12/06
The Michigan Forest Products Council today hailed the dual-certification of nearly 4.0 million acres of state forestland managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
The Department announced that they received state forest third-party certification recognition from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) at today's Natural Resource Commission meeting in Muskegon. Developed in the 1990's, the certification program involves independent auditors assessing the state forest management practices using both the FSC and SFI standards. It assures forests are managed in an environmentally responsible way. Michigan joins Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina and Wisconsin as dual-certified.
"We commend Governor Granholm and the DNR on today's achievement, which marks a two year effort to make sure the state-managed forests are well managed for years to come," said Leland Crawford, Regional Fiber Supply Manager-International Paper, in Quinnesec, MI and Chairman of the Michigan SFI State Committee. "This demonstrates our long-term commitment to responsible stewardship of our natural resources, and it is vitally important to maintaining a vibrant forest products industry in Michigan."
Sustainable certification requires that land owners and managers use the best available forestry guidelines such as designating conservation areas, leaving slash material to help regenerate the soil, protecting water quality, and leaving a lighter footprint from logging equipment.
Certification supports Michigan jobs. "Forest certification opens access to global paper and solid wood markets, while maintaining the biodiversity of Michigan's forests," said Kevin Korpi, Executive Director of the Michigan Forest Products Council. "Certification is truly a means to provide the forest products we use in our life everyday, while protecting the forests we want to enjoy forever," added Korpi.
Major wood products purchasers such as Time Warner and Home Depot are requiring Michigan forest products companies like NewPage, Weyerhaeuser and Potlatch, to assure that their wood and paper products come from certified, well-managed forests.
Michigan forest products companies depend on state forests for a long-term available supply of fiber. Of Michigan's 19.3 million acres of forest, about 35% is publicly owned and 65% private. It is estimated that 20% of the annual fiber supply comes from state managed forests. Almost 60,000 acres of state forestlands are actively managed each year. The forest products industry in Michigan generates nearly $12 billion dollars annually and employs more than 154,000 people, from loggers and truckers to mill workers, flooring, and cabinet and furniture makers.
The mission of the Michigan Forest Products Council is to protect, promote and sustain a globally competitive forest products industry in Michigan. The Michigan Forest Products Council and its members own millions of acres of forestland and employs thousands of men and women.PR Newswire via Yahoo News
