Temperate Forest Foundation: Sustainable Forestry Facts

Discover: Sustainable Forestry

Sustainable Forestry is a very important subset of a concept known as "Sustainable Development." As consumers, forest products play an important part in our lives; wood and wood products are found in many things we use daily, in our homes and places of business; wood products are in our shelter, in the items that surround us. They make up our clothes, they are in the food we eat. Wood is the one truly sustainable resource because forests are able to regenerate themselves within our lifetime. Besides the resource of wood, forests also provide numerous other benefits; aesthetic and emotional. They are places of repose and recreation, they are systems filtering our water and providing habitat for wildlife.

Sustainable Development is defined in the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development report (commonly known as the Brundtland Report) as, "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

With a burgeoning population putting demand on our natural resources it is important for citizens and policy makers to make informed choices about how they utilize existing resources for the good of this and future generations.

Overview of Forestry

We can learn from the past. Great civilizations in Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome fell in part from a failure to live sustainably on the land. Growing populations and excessive consumption led to deforestation, soil depletion, watershed destruction, and the resulting problems of famine. All of which contributed to economic and social collapse. This same pattern repeated itself all over the world. When societies fail to live sustainably they come crashing down, even the greatest ones.

Integrating Social, Economic, and Ecological Needs for Sustainable Living Under sustainable forestry, social wants and needs are fully considered and forests are managed to produce a variety of values and benefits. Values that go beyond the direct sustainability of the forest ecosystem include: aesthetics, wilderness, recreation, biodiversity, and non-traditional forest products. For this reason this stage is sometimes referred to as "social forestry." A strong economy and strong local communities are essential for this stage to exist.

We are now making the transition to sustainable forestry. We have science, information, and technology which were incomprehensible just a decade ago. We have satellites and computers allowing us to construct powerful monitoring and modeling programs. These programs facilitate the collection of data across broad landscapes and allow us to project changes over long time horizons. Now we need an educated public and the political will to move to the next level.

Unlike fossil fuels, wood is a sustainable resource. Forests play a leading role in sustaining human populations and quality of life. Forestry and agriculture are the foundations on which a sustainable society is built. A mature society lives within its ecological and economic means. Whenever possible it uses renewable resources and durable goods. It produces more from less: less raw material input, less waste, and less pollution. It reduces, reuses, and recycles. Responsible consumption facilitates sustainable forestry and responsible production. By practicing sustainable forestry, foresters are meeting human needs while ensuring the health of forest ecosystems over broad landscapes and long time horizons. Sustainable practices are those which can be perpetuated indefinitely.

Sustainability Certification

In response to the Brundtland Report, numerous certification programs were developed to maintain sustainability principles. Of these programs, the largest backing goes to Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). They represent two approaches to sustainability certification.

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Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Forest Stewardship Council Website

The FSC promotes responsible forest management globally by certifying forest products that meet standards that encourage environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. FSC’s Principles and Criteria are the basis for defining responsible forestry and for evaluating and accrediting certifiers. The organization was founded in 1993 by environmental groups, the timber industry, foresters, indigenous peoples, and community groups from 25 countries.

Four Stages of Forest Stewardship

There are four stages of forest stewardship culminating with sustainable forestry outlined by Dr. Hamish Kimmins, a forest ecologist at the University of British Columbia. [Balancing Act, Dr. Hammish Kimmins]

Stage 1. Unregulated forest exploitation.
Stage 2. Regulated Forest exploitation.
Stage 3. Ecology based forestry.
Stage 4. Sustainable forestry.
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Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Website

The SFI is a forest products certification program developed by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). It establishes principles and guidelines, based on sustainable forestry principles, that its numerous members must comply with. Further, it requires member companies to also address broader forest policy goals.

Sustainable Forestry Criteria

Maintain the structural and functional integrity of the forest as an ecosystem.
Meet the diverse needs of the human community.
Commit the technological, financial, and human resources needed for implementation.
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Learn more about Sustainable Forestry in our Eco-Link Sustainable Forestry