For the eighth consecutive year, a team of independent scientists have reviewed the management of Pennsylvania’s State Forests and found them “well managed” using sustainable forestry techniques.

The review was conducted in mid-July by Scientific Certification Systems, an Oakland, Calif., firm accredited to offer forest landowners independent, third-party certification of sustainable forest-management practices.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resource policies and programs were cited by SCS as "in excellent overall compliance," or "far exceeding performance on most publicly and privately managed forests in the U.S."

The certification renewal will help Pennsylvania compete in the growing niche consumer market for "green" label wood products. Just as recycled products have become common in the marketplace, many environmentally conscious timber consumers look for "green" label wood grown in certified forests.

Pennsylvania produces $5 billion forest products industry employing almost 100,000 people.

SCS is accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council, an organization formed in 1993 by environmental, social and forest-products industry representatives to establish guidelines for sustainable forest-management practices.

An SCS project team including foresters and forest ecologists toured state forest districts, meeting with DCNR officials and stakeholders. They scored woodlands on timber-resource sustainability, forest-ecosystem maintenance, financial and socioeconomic considerations and other categories.

A full report on the state forest evaluation by SCS can be found online.

10/7/2005