SFI ARTICLES

The catastrophic wildfires that raged through parts of British Columbia this summer are a wake-up call. While we saw devastating fires in 2017 and 2018, more recent conflagrations kept crews and equipment working at maximum capacity in BC, which experienced this summer’s unprecedented heat wave.

Karla Guyn’s 30-plus-year career in conservation has taken her to all kinds of wild places across North America. But it all began in the forest.  “I can still remember what it felt like to walk under the shade of Canada’s boreal canopy, soaking in the quiet solitude.” Guyn, DUC’s chief executive officer, recalls the impact her first “real” job had on her. As a newly minted biologist, she landed a gig with Alberta Forestry where she was tasked with measuring trees and recording the health of the forest. Now, she’s heading up an international, industry-leading non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability in North America’s forests. 

Introducing young people to careers in conservation and encouraging them to pursue their passions related to the natural world are critical to the future of organizations like DUC…DUC is fortunate to have many employees with extensive experience and knowledge to share as mentors. Bev Gingras, DUC’s head of boreal conservation programs, is a regular participant in the PLT Canada Green Mentor program.

We are proud to share a new video about Project Learning Tree, produced in collaboration with BBC StoryWorks, and featuring USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen.

Business View Magazine interviews Kathy Abusow, President & CEO of Sustainable Forestry Initiative, for our focus on the Forest Sector in North America. To learn more about the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Business View asked Kathy Abusow, SFI’s President & CEO, for her insights into the organization and the valuable role it plays in the sector.

The Idaho Central Credit Union Arena highlights how our built environment need not conflict with the natural world. We can build sustainably. And given buildings represent 39 percent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions annually, according to the United Nations Environment Program, it’s more essential than ever that we build sustainably.

A forest is more than just an abundance of trees in a specific site. A forest holds life beyond what our eyes can see, it holds a story, and history behind every tree, every stump, and every root. Ever wondered how the decisions for sustainable forest management comes forth? Darren Sleep from SFIhelps walk Greta through some of the approaches to how these decisions are made for a healthier forests all around.

Urban and community forestry is an aspect of the industry that is often overlooked, but ensuring that they are established and managed in ways that meet local needs while contributing to national and global initiatives is critical. In fact, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) recently announced it would be developing a new standard, the Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard.

Architects and builders often find inspiration from the past as they focus on designing and building for the future. By using mass timber technologies in the built environment, that notion is delivering multiple sustainability benefits.Mass timber systems are a relatively new category of offsite, engineered wood products that provide a number of diverse benefits—from storing carbon to supporting rural job growth and providing a healthier place to live and work.

Roseburg announces the addition of Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) certification for select products manufactured at its Oregon and California facilities. Roseburg owns and manages 158,000 acres of SFI-certified timberland in North Carolina and Virginia. The company recently expanded its commitment to include SFI Chain of Custody and SFI Fiber Sourcing certifications at its western manufacturing locations.

CFI: How did you get your start in forestry?
I went to the University of Toronto intending to be a veterinarian. I stumbled into forestry because I wanted to broaden my course load. So, I attended my first forestry course and was interested in learning more about what that world looked like. Then I went tree planting, which was my real introduction to the sector. Growing up just outside of Toronto, I didn’t understand what the forest sector was, what it entailed or who was involved. When I was tree planting, I remembered thinking, “Well, this is interesting. Why are we doing this?” I wanted to learn more, so I kept taking forestry courses and snapping up any opportunities to learn more and get engaged. I graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science, majoring in zoology as well as forest conservation.

Forests have a multitude of values including biodiversity, climate mitigation and water conservation, and different stakeholders often prioritize these values in different ways.  As a result, the ways in which we approach conservation and responsible forest management varies across the landscape. Incorporating these differing perspectives can require creativity and innovation.

Since 2019, Canadian Biomass, Canadian Forest Industries (CFI) and Pulp & Paper Canada have celebrated International Women’s Day by highlighting the accomplishments of women in the industry, sharing their stories, career advice and management tips.

Molly of Denali and Project Learning Tree’s Alaska Coordinator, Molly (also living in Denali), share more than just a name and location, including a love of nature and learning. Recently, the two Molly’s joined forces to create a series of short videos with tips for taking kids outside during winter, demonstrating a couple of PLT activities, and discussing the many benefits of environmental education.

The Clemson Extension Forestry and Natural Resources Program Team’s Youtube page recently published a series of short videos (1-18 minutes long) with important tips from and for women owners of southern US woodlands.

Project Learning Tree Canada (PLT Canada) recently launched its Green Mentor Program – 2021 National Cohort in celebration of National Mentoring Month, bringing 150 people across Canada together to empower, connect, and help young people develop their career pathways, build skills and confidence, and more.

Darren Sleep, SFI’s Senior Director of Conservation Science & Strategies and conservation partners NCASI, Weyerhaeuser Company, and others conducted a literature review to assess recolonization responses of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, vascular plants, invertebrates, lichens/bryophytes, and mycorrhizal fungi to better determine the conservation benefits of retention forestry practices.

In 2020, we again faced catastrophic wildfires in the western United States and Canada. The fires took a devastating toll, including more than 40 lives lost in California, Oregon and Washington state. They affected the lives of those in major urban areas as seen in apocalyptic images of smoke-filled cities across the West, and even caused hazy skies on the East Coast, thousands of miles away. The economic damage was significant, with estimates of more than $20 billion in direct costs alone.

There is broad agreement we are under significant climate threat as rising average temperatures threaten American livelihoods. We need proven solutions that can offer contributions to our environment and economy alike. Fortunately, we have a tested and available tool to mitigate climate change while supporting millions of green jobs — sustainable forest management.

SFI works with the American Bird Conservancy and SFI-certified organizations to develop bird-focused management recommendations for private forest landowners, including special practices landowners can employ to ensure habitat is maintained for at-risk species.

Throughout the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) history, there have been significant improvements in identifying areas for conservation. Early emphasis was placed on protecting small hand-picked and isolated pockets of land thought to be important for wildlife species. While a great deal of conservation was accomplished, advancements in computer modeling and mapping technology have helped us better identify the ecological connections between habitats and the importance of addressing the systemic nature of the world around us.

When the pandemic forced his school to go to online learning, fifth-grader Bergen Manzella spent six hours a day staring at his computer screen. « My eyes were drooping a lot and red. I was really tired staring at a screen, not being able to move around that much, » said Bergen.

While 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of National Forest Week, the celebrations and education opportunities around Lesser Slave Lake, will be different than normal.Most years, Lesser Slave Lake Forest Education Society has a ‘big shindig’ during National Forest Week, says Cori Klassen, LSFES executive director. This is an all-day event for Grade 6 students. In order to fit in all the Grade 6 students in Slave Lake and Kinuso, there are usually two days on the east side of the lake. There are also events on the west.