Most consumers are familiar with the concept of an objective third party certifying products to assure a high standard, or consistency, in product quality. The certification label that is affixed to electrical appliances by the Underwriters Laboratory, thereby assuring that appliances meet or exceed standards of quality and safety, is an example.

 

Forest certification is a relatively new development and relates not to the final product, but to the practice of forestry, including growth, harvesting, and ecological impacts associated with harvesting. Certified forests are managed in a sustainable manner and trees are harvested with environmentally sound practices. These management practices are certified by objective third parties. It is a voluntary, market-driven approach (as opposed to mandatory, regulatory approach) toward sustainable forest management.