New FSC Trademark License Agreement Coming Soon

Forests close to urban areas, like all other types of forest areas, need to be properly managed in terms of both production and environmental considerations. One problem is that local residents have not known what is being done. In the Höör forestry operations area, Södra is now opening the door to improved dialogue. The aim is to provide information about planned activities, and to explain why various measures are carried out. In addition, local residents and other interested parties will be able to express their views and ask questions. "An unannounced change can often be perceived as something undesirable, especially when it affects the local area. Forestry measures are undertaken with a purpose and they lead to change, sometimes in several stages. By explaining why the measures are being carried out, the outcome will be more positive," says Johan Johnsson, Area Manager of the Höör forestry operations area.

As economic pressures around the globe continue to mount, banks, telecom providers, utility companies and even governmental organizations are increasingly focused on switching their customers from paper to digital services to cut costs. All too often, their customer communications attempt to mask these cost-saving efforts, justifying the switch with unsubstantiated environmental marketing appeals such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and save a tree.” “Not only do these greenwashing claims breach established environmental marketing standards like the U.S. Federal Trade Commission Green Guides and the ISO 14021 standard, they also are extremely damaging to an industry that has a solid and continually improving environmental record,” says Two Sides North America President Kathi Rowzie. “Far from ‘saving trees,’ strong market demand for sustainably sourced paper encourages responsible forest management and supports the long-term health of forest resources. Many of the organizations we engage are surprised to learn that over the last 30 years, U.S. forests have expanded by some 18 million acres, while net forest area in Canada has remained the same at around 857 million acres during the same period.1”

Just in time for our 20th anniversary, the PEFC Alliance welcomes Vietnam as its 50th national member. “Besides celebrating 20 years of caring for our forests, we have another reason to rejoice. The 50th national member marks an important milestone for PEFC,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International. “We started with eleven European national members, and now we have more than 50 spread across the entire globe. We are very happy and grateful to everyone who made this success possible.” Together with Myanmar, Vietnam was voted in by the PEFC General Assembly through a postal ballot. The Vietnam Forest Certification Office (VNFOREST) is actively working on the development of their national forest certification system. Click Read More below for additional information.