WHAT IS FOREST CERTIFICATION?

STRAIGHT FROM WORLD WILDLIFE FUND:
(Please bookmark their site. They are a terrific organization.)

A sure investment in improved forest stewardship Forest certification is widely seen as the most important initiative of the last decade to promote better forest management.

Responsible forest management is a key component of WWF’s vision for a future in which people live in harmony with nature. The sustainable use of renewable forest products can provide people with shelter, fuel, medicine and other services, while providing essential habits for plants and animals. 

WWF understands the threats facing forests today. But trying to prohibit the use of forest resources isn’t a viable solution. 

What can work is a system of certification that ensures sustainable management of these vital resources. 

What is forest certification exactly? Forest certification is a system of inspection and tracking timber, pulp and other forest products to ensure they have been harvested according to a strict set of guidelines. It’s more than just which trees to cut – forest certification also accounts for the social and economic well-being of workers and local communities. 

The certification process begins in the forest and continues through the entire chain of custody, so the end consumer can be certain he or she is buying an environmentally sound product. 

Who can you trust? Certification will only protect forests if the system is credible. Otherwise it’s just a green label. 

Currently WWF considers the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) the most credible certification system to ensure environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests. GO TO WWF WEBSITE