To get the FSC’s stamp of approval, forest operations must meet 57 criteria, including protection of local wildlife, minimal use of chemical pesticides, even the guarantee that loggers can unionize. If a forest makes the grade, its wood products get branded with the FSC logo and a “chain of custody” number, which allows them to be traced them back to their source. Currently there are 556 U.S. companies turning out FSC-certified lumber, up from 20 when the program was founded a decade ago, and 4,000 internationally. While the flooring they produce still makes up a small share of the U.S. market, it’s growing fast. More important, they’re having an effect on the nation’s forests. FSC-certified woodlands now blanket 15.5 million acres, up from a mere 1.4 million in 1995. Internationally, the numbers are even more compelling, with 135 million acres of FSC-approved forests covering the globe. …the FSC stamp is the gold standard.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org