Certifying Forestry page 2

The Menominee Tribal Enterprises forest is certified by both SCS - Scientific Certification Systems (Forest Conservation Program) and Smart Wood (the Rainforest Alliance).  Wood products that are sold from MTE operations are certified that they come from a forest that is being managed in a Sustainable future oriented manner.  Informed consumers can choose to purchase this certified wood to avoid products which may come from other harvest operations that degrade the environment.

Other stops on the tour included a veneer mill, and plywood plants that are beginning to use 'certified' logs and wood veneers in their operations.  Managers stated that certification was becoming more important to their businesses as time goes on.


Discussions of the pros and cons of wood certification was the purpose of this meeting.  Several large forest industry companies presented views that downplayed the significance of the wood certification movement.  Since sustainable management during harvesting often adds expense to the operation and the certification process adds cost to final wood products, some speakers doubted whether consumers would actually be willing to pay extra for wood coming from a certified source.  Other speakers questioned who was actually doing the certification, and did they know enough about local conditions to treat everyone in a fair manner? 

Business that were already producing 'certified' products from certified logs insisted that this labeling is already building up their companies.  Jane Rozanski of Knoll Inc., an office furniture manufacturer, said, "It's a marketing tool.  Because this is a new program, it is often difficult to have 'certified' wood available in the right quantity at the right time.  We choose a specific product line that we can support over a long period of time with 'certified' wood, to market as 'certified."

George Freeman of the Freeman Corp., an architectural veneer manufacturer in Winchester Kentucky, supported the movement.  "Certification is brand new.  It is just now becoming an option our there for people to buy 'certified' wood products. The demand has been quite high for 'certified' flooring.  So far there are 1.5 million acres of forest certified in the U.S., but this year we expect to add another 3.5 million acres."  When asked who is purchasing his companies certified products he stated, "Architects and corporate America are looking for 'certified' wood.  Government contracts would be a big boom - this will happen soon.  For now it is a niche market, this is not meant for everyone"

Peter Stephano, of Better Homes and Gardens "Wood" magazine said, "I have seen a lot of interest in certified wood in the artistic uses of hardwood.  High end markets will often want 'certified' wood, but in mass production of construction lumber, the extra cost is not justified.  So far the general public is really not aware of this issue."

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