U.S. Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR) holds a Master’s Degree in Forestry from Yale University and understands better than most that a healthy and sustainably managed forest is not a partisan issue.
The use of forest products by society drives a healthy market as well as the incentive for forest owners to manage their forests sustainably. In other words, wood product use, paired with a commitment to recycling and sustainable forest management, including replanting many more trees than we use (standard practice in North America), will result in healthy, vibrant forests.
Read the details of Representative Westerman’s story about sustainable forestry, economics, family forests, and forestry jobs in Arkansas and how by working together it makes for healthy forests. https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/434083-the-best-way-to-preserve-forests-use-trees?amp&__twitter_impression=true
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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that the Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, certified Blackwater River and Tate’s Hell State Forests, covering 413,000 acres, through one of the world’s most recognized, independent, third-party forest management certification standards, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
“We are proud of our efforts to ensure that the land and resources entrusted to the Florida Forest Service are managed responsibly and conscientiously. Thanks to certification programs, such as SFI, the public can remain confident that our state forests are managed in line with some of the highest standards in the nation and will remain healthy and productive for generations to come,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is committed to ensuring that responsible forest management contributes positively to the environment, local communities, and protects the rights and well-being of workers across certified operations. We take labour rights and occupational health and safety seriously, and these principles are embedded throughout our certification system. This includes the Congo Basin – a key region where tropical timber is commonly sourced - in which FSC is actively engaged in maintaining the integrity of certification through robust standards, verification, and oversight. FSC explicitly addresses workers, customary, community, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights in its Principles and Criteria (P&C), ensuring that forest management interventions uphold social responsibility. These areas are where FSC can drive meaningful impact through its standards and verification mechanisms. FSC requires all certificate holders to implement health and safety practices to protect workers from occupational hazards and to comply with workers' rights protected by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Core Conventions, which cover the abolition of child labour, the elimination of forced labour and discrimination, the freedom of association and right to collective bargaining. These requirements are reflected in both the Forest Stewardship Standards (FSS) and Chain of Custody (CoC).
Every year in the spring and summer, JDI Chief Naturalist Kelly Honeyman and JDI Fish & Wildlife Manager John Gilbert team up to coordinate over 800 hours of training to over 200 contractors and foresters in the regions where JDI operates. The environmental training includes: • Rare Plant Habitat Identification and Training • Stick Nest Identification and Protection Policy • Operating near watercourses, including vernal pools and wetlands • Unique Areas Program • Review of Species of Concern Guide • Review of Forest Certification Process and Successes. JDI’s biodiversity strategy encompasses research, training, and the application of technology to ensure that our forestry operations meet our biodiversity objectives. JDI’s international award-winning Unique Areas Conservation Program has grown from 29 sites in the 1980’s to 1,454 sites in 2018. Click Read More below for additional information.