Forest Certification

National Forest System (NFS) Certification Study: An Evaluation of the Application of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Standards on Five National Forest System Management Units is now available. This report, produced for the Forest Service, documents the study in which third-party auditors evaluated current forest management practices on five study national forest units with standards set by two certification programs, SFI and FSC, for private and state-owned forests in the U.S. The report summarizes and discusses the five third-party evaluations and captures lessons learned through a review of participant experiences.

The study was designed to help the Forest Service: 1) evaluate the potential consistency of certification with the Forest Service’s existing mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations, 2) evaluate the potential benefits and costs of third-party certification of national forests and grasslands to externally developed standards, and 3) study the lessons learned as a basis for determining what policy and management changes might be needed in the event the Forest Service were to pursue certification.

Executive Summary

Full Report

National Forest System (NFS) Certification Study: An Evaluation of the Application of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Standards on Five National Forest System Management Units (PDF)

Appendix (PDF)

Background Materials

Briefing Papers (PDF)

Summary of Results (PDF)

Lessons Learned (PDF)

Questions and Answers (PDF)

Presentation (PDF)

Related Speeches

The National Forest Certification Study (PDF)

Study Unit Evaluations

Allegheny National Forest (ANF) in Pennsylvania
Evaluation using FSC standards (PDF)
Evaluation using SFI standards (PDF)

Lakeview Federal Stewardship Unit (LFSU) on the Fremont-Winema National Forest in Oregon
Evaluation using FSC standards (PDF)
Evaluation using SFI standards (PDF)

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) in Wisconsin
Evaluation using FSC standards (PDF)
Evaluation using SFI standards (PDF)

Mt. Hood National Forest (MHNF) in Oregon
Evaluation using FSC standards (PDF)
Evaluation using SFI standards (PDF)

National Forests in Florida (NFF) 
Evaluation using FSC standards (PDF)
Evaluation using SFI standards (PDF)

Public Dialogue Session – Minneapolis, MN, July 22, 2008
Presentation – Lessons Learned from the National Forest Certification Study – Will Price, Pinchot Institute (PDF)

Presentation – Lessons Learned from the National Forest Certification Study – Dave Bubser, SmartWood (PDF)

Presentation – Lessons Learned from State Public Land Forest Certification Efforts – Paul DeLong, State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry (PDF)

Presentation – Lessons Learned from the National Forest Certification Study – Jeanne Higgins and Geoff Chandler, US Forest Service (PDF)

Federal Register Notice
Forest Certification and Its Implications for America's National Forests