Collaboration for Conservation in the Southern Blue Ridge

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewards Guild have brought together partners who live and work in the Southern Blue Ridge, including Evergreen Packaging (a business unit of Pactiv Evergreen), an SFI-certified company, to collaborate on forest conservation approaches. Forests of the Southern Blue Ridge are biologically rich and span Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The area supports a diverse ecosystem, provides recreational opportunities, and is a source of sustainable forest products. Stakeholders have identified mountain oak forests and mountain cove forests as two types of forest worthy of conservation attention, to help ensure the health and vitality of this unique place.

Project partners identified areas of collaboration to address a few key themes, with a focus on leveraging the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard. One priority was to examine enhancements to water quality practices for ecological benefits. This aligns well with the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard requirements for all participants to adhere to water quality best management practices (BMPs). Additional themes include leveraging landowner outreach approaches under the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard requirements, piloting land-management practices to connect separately owned parcels of land, and broadening the impact of conservation strategies.

With a particular focus on the Southern Blue Ridge in North Carolina, the project aims to use the momentum of the forest marketplace, and a shared sustainability vision, to improve biodiversity outcomes in the regions’ forests. The project’s success will depend on collaborative engagement, a mutual commitment to conservation, and developing specific strategies.

Q: What does SFI bring to the project?

A: Paul Trianosky, Chief Conservation Officer, SFI

Sustainably managed forests are critical for our collective future for so many reasons ranging from mitigating climate change to protecting fresh water. Certification provides assurances of performance, through audited actions relative to forest management and procurement activities. The SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard is unique among forest certification systems because it ensures responsible fiber procurement and conservation action on forestland, regardless of whether that land is certified or not. Responsible procurement offers many benefits including protecting biodiversity and water resources, using trained harvesting professionals, and landowner outreach to build understanding of sustainable practices. In addition to our standard, SFI brings convening experience, and a network of diverse partners committed to solving complex problems. This project presents a new way to think about the power of fiber sourcing certification, as a tool to leverage conservation.

Q: What does the Guild bring to the project?

A: Jennifer L. Chandler, Southeast Region Manager, Forest Stewards Guild

The Guild brings real expertise within this region and the ability to connect conservation efforts across a range of landowners.With numerous SFI Fiber Sourcing certified facilities within or near the Southern Blue Ridge region of North Carolina, we realized the potential of Fiber Sourcing requirements to positively impact forest conservation using responsible forest management approaches. We were uniquely situated to align landowners, procurement foresters, non-profit partners, and mills with actions to improve conservation outcomes on the ground. The Guild brought together the needed experts and practitioners from across the region to best connect sustainable supply chains with critical conservation action.

Q: How does Evergreen see its place in promoting conservation outcomes in the Southern Blue Ridge of North Carolina?

A: Gregory Ward, Fiber Certification Manager, Evergreen Packaging

Evergreen is interested in sourcing fiber from forests that are sustainably managed for forest health and species diversity. Through our fiber procurement activities, we have an opportunity to promote responsible forestry practices and reinforce favorable outcomes such as protecting water quality, biodiversity, and following BMPs.
much more at source: https://www.forests.org/collaboration-for-conservation-in-the-southern-blue-ridge/

Related Posts

Celebrating our rainforests on World Rainforest Day

We are a proud partner of the World Rainforest Day initiative, organized by the Rainforest Partnership to celebrate World Rainforest Day. Taking place on 22 June, World Rainforest Day is a collaborative effort to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the world’s rainforests. Did you know that rainforests cover less than 3% of the Earth's area, but are essential to life on Earth?

Two Sides New Infographic Celebrates Earth Day by Busting Myths About How Paper is Made

Designed to bust myths about paper production, and about other forest products, the new infographic reveals that in North America less than 36% of the annual timber harvest is directly used for paper and paperboard. In fact, most trees are harvested to make lumber and other solid wood products essential for construction, such as building homes and furniture. The infographic spotlights other key facts about paper, recycling, and other forest products, including: •Every year, North America grows many more trees than are harvested. •Paper is one of the most recycled products in the world with recovery rates of 65% and higher in North America. •About 35% of our paper products use recovered fiber as a raw material. Other key raw materials are sawmill residuals leftover from lumber manufacturing. •Forest products, such as paper, are based on a highly renewable and natural raw material – wood from sustainably managed North American forests.

AF&PA Commends Administration Efforts to Streamline Regulatory Processes, Ensure Regulations Do More Good than Harm

“From his first days in office, President Trump demonstrated support for U.S. manufacturing by directing his Administration to expedite permits for modernizing or constructing efficient and globally competitive manufacturing facilities and to reduce unwarranted regulatory burdens. We strongly support the continuation of these efforts, including regulatory certainty for our industry’s sustainable use of bioenergy and systemic regulatory reforms to ensure government regulation does more good than harm. Moreover, the pulp and paper industry has made consistent voluntary progress in improving our energy efficiency by more than 10 percent and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 20 percent since 2005 and has achieved a record 68.1 percent paper recovery for recycling. We applaud sustainable regulation that promotes both economic and environmental progress for our nation.” Click Read More below for additional information.
Back To Top
×Close search
Search