Michigan Ag Connection - DNR Honored for Forest Certification Efforts

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DNR Honored for Forest Certification Efforts
Michigan Ag Connection - 11/15/2017

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has achieved honors for its work to sustainably manage nearly 4 million acres of state forests.

The DNR is among 16 organizations and individuals to earn Leadership Awards from the Forest Stewardship Council, the world's leading forest certification system. The awards were presented Wednesday at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Boston.

"We were blown away by the accomplishments of our award winners this year," said Corey Brinkema, president of the Forest Stewardship Council US. "By building the market for FSC products, the award winners show we can conserve forests, even as we use forest products in our daily lives."

The DNR was honored for being one of the longest-standing FSC-certified forest managers in the Lake States region. FSC certification involves a rigorous, independent review to ensure forest management practices meet the highest standards for environmental and social benefits.

"Michigan forests have been certified for more than a decade and we're proud of that," said Deb Begalle, chief of the DNR's Forest Resources Division. "It's important to the people of Michigan that we manage forests to ensure they are here for our children and grandchildren. We can do that in a way that provides the wood products people use every day, offers quality wildlife habitat, and protects the environment."

Michigan is certified by both the FSC and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Learn more about the DNR's efforts at michigan.gov/forestry.

Other winners of FSC leadership awards from across North America are:

- ARAUCO North America, for investing approximately $400 million in a new FSC-certified particleboard mill in Grayling, Michigan – along with nine other certified mills in North America – to meet demand from its customers, notably IKEA.

- Patagonia, for developing the world's first FSC-certified Yulex natural rubber wetsuits, and for communicating the importance of responsible forest management to its customers.

- Staples, for marketing more than 1,000 individual FSC-certified paper and furniture products online and in stores, and for working to help family woodland owners earn FSC certification.

- Procter & Gamble, for making Charmin and Puffs tissue products FSC-certified and for working with partners to add 500,000 acres of FSC-certified forest in the southeastern U.S.

- Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces, for being the first North American laminate manufacturer to earn FSC certification.

- Monadnock Paper Mills, for being the first paper mill in the United States to earn FSC certification, and for offering the first 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper bearing the FSC Recycled label.

- Dixie Plywood and Lumber Company, for more than 10 years of commitment to marketing FSC-certified building materials in the southeastern U.S.

- Forest Products Laboratory, Center for Wood Anatomy Research, for applying state-of-the-art forensic wood science to verify the accuracy of claims about FSC certification on more than 1,000 products annually.

- Center for Forest and Wood Certification at the University of Kentucky, for providing technical expertise to forest managers and supply chain businesses to grow FSC certification.

- Seven Islands Land Company and Pingree Associates, for its continuous FSC certification of more than 800,000 acres of timberland in Maine since 1993, and working to help build the FSC system over the past 20 years.

- Heron Hall, McLennan Design, and Smallwood Design and Construction, for using 100 percent FSC-certified or reclaimed wood in a residential project, including shou-sugi-ban (charred wood) exterior walls – in pursuit of the Living Building Challenge.

- Bill Fisch Forest Stewardship and Education Centre, Regional Municipality of York, and DIALOG, for using 100 percent FSC-certified wood in construction and for sharing information about sustainability to thousands of visitors annually.

- Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden Tasting Room, and Green Hammer, for using more than 95 percent FSC-certified wood products – along with a small amount of Eastern Oregon Grassland Restoration Juniper – in its highly visible wine tasting room.

- Michael Conroy, for helping to launch FSC and for decades of commitment to the organization, as a grant maker at the Ford Foundation, chair of the Board of FSC US, chair of the Board of FSC International, and active member in the Social Chamber.

- Christopher McDonell, for 20 years of work shaping responsible forest management in Canada as manager of Aboriginal and Environmental Relations for Tembec.

Learn more about the Forest Stewardship Council at www.fsc.org.

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