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Notes:
It is important to understand that forest certification is a voluntary program. This is in contrast to governmental regulations that are involuntary. If large buyer groups and consumers of forest products demand certified products, forest certification could effectively become required for forest owners who wish to retain market share.
Forest certification is a means of communicating to buyers of forest products that the forest (producing the products) is being managed in a sustainable manner. Many owners claim that they have been managing their forests sustainably for years and, therefore, see no reason to become certified. This misses the point. Certification is the mechanism to communicate this information to consumers even if it does not significantly change on-the-ground management practices of an owner who is already practicing sustainable forestry.
Sedjo, R.A., A. Goetzl and S.O. Moffat. 1998. Sustainability of Temperate Forests, Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C.
World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987. Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, Oxford, England.
Stevens, J., M. Ahmad and S. Ruddell.1998. Forest Products Certification: A Survey of Manufacturers. Forest Products J. 48(6)43:49.
