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Certification Systems

Certification programs are intended to play a key role in ensuring consumers that the forest products they purchase are produced from forests that are managed in a sustainable manner. There are many international, national, or regional certification programs that can be adhered to by industry today.

 

The major certification programs under which most Southern forests are currently certified are:

 
  FSC Logo  

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC US):

 

FSC includes 10 principles and 57 criteria that are globally accepted. Nations are encouraged to develop these to their own conditions. The program also contains 3 chain-of-custody tracking systems.		  
 
ATFS Logo

American Tree Farm System:

 

The ATFS is aimed at private forest landowners. A management plan and 5-year inspection are required for certification.

 

 

 

  

Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program:

 

SFI consists of 9 principles and includes

chain-of-custody tracking and labeling.

 SFI Logo  
 

 

  

ISO 14001:

 

ISO 14001 refers to standards developed by ISO related to environmental management systems.
ALC Logo

American Loggers Council Certified Logger Program:

 

The use of Certified Loggers provide landowners with the assurance needed to ensure that sustainable harvesting practices are being followed on their land. State Master Logger programs are accepted by the American Loggers Council Master Logger Certification committee.

 

 

 
While these programs are currently used to certify forest management systems and traditional forest products, these standards could be applied to forest energy products in the Southern United States (13). Energy product suppliers in the United States could certify that they were using raw materials from certified forests.
  Mark Coppock
Texas Transportation Institute

This concludes Unit 1: Framework for Achieving Sustainable Forest Management. To proceed to the next unit, Unit 2: Environmental Components Impacted by Woody Biomass Production, click the Next link.
 

 

 ©2007 National Learning Center for Private Forest and Range Landowners
"A program of the Cooperative Extension Service funded by the Renewable Resources Extension Act"
Last Updated: June 2, 2008