Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard enhanced with new measures to protect bi...( signed specifically to address biodiver...)

signed specifically to address biodiversity protection in commercial forest operations, companies seeking SFI certification in North America will develop and implement plans for protection of sites containing imperiled plants, animals, and ecological communities. These plans will be based on conservation status ranking information obtained from organizations such as NatureServe and its network of Natural Heritage programs, which gather and distribute information about biodiversity found within all 50 states and ten Canadian provinces. Plans may also be developed in collaboration with other stakeholders, which could employ strategies such as conservation land sales, easements or exchanges.

"This is an important step in a process of protecting forests with exceptional conservation value, and is consistent with the philosophy of continuous improvement of the SFI standard. We recognize these provisions as a major step forward for the standard, and look forward to continuing to work on these issues with the forest products industry," said Steve McCormick, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy and SFB Board Member.

As an additional requirement for certification, companies participating in the SFI program will implement international wood procurement policies to help prevent illegal logging and promote conservation of biodiversity hotspots and major tropical wilderness areas. The 25 biodiversity hotspots cover just 1.4 percent of the Earth's land surface, yet harbor more than 60 percent of total terrestrial biodiversity. Under extreme threat, many hotspots have lost more than 90 percent of their original natural habitat.

"These enhancements demonstrate that leaders in the North American forest products industry are willing to make a major effort to protect the world's biologically richest and most endangered forests," said Peter Seligmann, Chairman and CEO of Conservation International and SFB Board Member. "The SFI Standard now makes
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Contact: Jason Anderson
j.anderson@conservation.org
202-912-1464
Conservation International
2-Jul-2002

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