May Issue of Paper Check Now Available! Paper Check is FSC Canada’s monthly paper and print market update. All the paper and print news from our monthly newsletter Branching Out in one convenient source. Visit www.fsccanada.org/newsletter.htm to download the May issue or to subscribe e-mail info@fsccanada.org.
April 27-29, 2007: FSC Canada, suppliers and buyers of FSC certified products all participated in Canada's first consumer show for green products and green services. The Green Living Show, held in Toronto Ontario from April 27-29th, featured the latest in planet-friendly home design, energy-saving appliances, organic foods, health and recreation, alternative transportation, and of course FSC-certified products!
Everyone at the Green Living Show, from speakers to attendees to exhibitors would agree that it was a great success. There were some 20,000 attendees and special guests and speakers included Margaret Atwood, Dr. David Suzuki, Minster of Environment John Baird, and a special presentation of the famed lecture "An Inconvenient Truth" by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Gaining media coverage on every major Canadian television and radio station, magazines, and online blogs, the response to the show was a clear sign that Canadians are ready for 'green' and looking for products for all aspects of their lives; from the cars they drive to the wood and paper products they use, to the food they consume. FSC Canada had a well-located 200 sq ft exhibit which was shared by a number of FSC certificate holders; Finewood Flooring & Lumber Ltd, Forest Lumber & Cooperage Ltd, Grafikom, Metropolitan Fine Printers Inc, NorthonSixty, Pazazz Printing Inc, The Printing House, Transworld Paper Ltd, Silv-Econ Ltd, and Supremex. A number of FSC-certified companies also had their own exhibit at the show; Cascades Inc, Domtar Corp, Vintage Woodcraft Inc, Warren's Waterless Printing, and Wiggers Custom Furniture. We very pleased with consumers' response to FSC; many had heard about FSC and many more were interested to know what FSC was all about and where they could find FSC-certified products.
As shown in the picture, FSC Canada's booth featured both wood and papers products and wood products in the booth (including table, flooring, plinths and shelving) were supplied by newly certified custom design and building company, NorthonSixty.
Visit www.greenlivingshow.ca for more information and future show updates.
Toronto, ON, April 2007: The GLSL Standards Development Committee met for two days in early April to review the progress that had been made since its previous meeting in September 2006. Major milestones that were reviewed by the committee include: incorporation of comments received during the consultation process; report from a Technical Advisory Group on harvesting and silvicultural requirements; summary from a workshop for Aboriginal representatives; consensus recommendations from two Drafting Committees on Aboriginal rights; and consensus recommendations from the High Conservation Value Forest Working Group. The field-tested draft of the GLSL Standard (Français) is now available, with a 60-day review period until June 30, 2007. Click here for more information.
Montréal, QC, May 24-26, 2007: FSC Canada will be participating in SIDIM: The Montréal International Interior Design Show taking place May 24-26, 2007. The show will located at Place Bonaventure in downtown Montréal.
Each year in May the show brings together a screened selection of firms involved in residential, commercial, contract, institutional and office interior design as well as in architecture. As the sole interior design and architecture show in Québec, the Montréal International Interior Design Show targets members of the professional design and business communities but also welcomes consumers interested in the latest trends. Every year, with approximately 300 exhibitors, SIDIM plays host to close to 20, 000 visitors.
FSC Canada will be participating in SIDIM for the first time this year to promote the use of FSC certified products in interior design and building projects. For its 20th anniversary, SIDIM will be introducing "Bâtir", a complete section of the show dedicated to exhibitors from the building industry. This special area will be built with FSC-certified lumber graciously provided by Tembec.
FSC Canada will be at booth #B27 in the Bâtir section and FSC certifiers Rainforest Alliance and SGS will be on hand at the booth throughout the show. FSC will also be hosting two seminars each day of the show.
The first seminar will discuss FSC Chain of Custody requirements for manufacturers while the second the use of certified wood products in the context of achieving multiple credits for LEED projects.
For more information on the show and to register for the FSC seminars visit www.sidim.com
Bonn, Germany, April 27, 2007: Leading up to 2005 FSC International General Assembly, the FSC International Board of Directors and senior staff worked to develop a Global Strategy to guide the FSC in the next phase of its development. In late 2006, the FSC Board of Directors formed a dedicated subcommittee, which met independently to finalize the draft Global Strategy. This draft is now available for comment and can be downloaded here. To provide feedback on the FSC Strategy, please email fsc@fsc.org or complete the online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=492833747452
Congratulations to the following new FSC-certified Printers!
New York, NY, March 5, 2007: The March 5th issue of Fortune Magazine featured a special advertising section, developed in partnership with FSC-US, which discusses how companies can support the responsible management of forests by using FSC-certified paper.
The section details a shift in corporate thinking to include a "triple bottom line" - one that accounts for environmental and social needs in addition to the economic drivers of a company. The special section also highlighted FSC-certified paper producers Domtar and Appleton Coated, in addition to other U.S. based manufacturers and printers.
To read the entire article click here.
Montreal, QC, April 9, 2007: The newly created Domtar Corp. has announced the launch of Luna(r) Digital, a re-vamped version of the Luna brand for use in digital printing. Luna(r) Digital is part of the Domtar Earth Choice line of FSC-certified papers, features a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled content, and will initially be offered in four key basis weights. Available to customers as of April 30th 2007, Luna(r) Digital is certified for HP Indigo and Kodak NexPress by RIT, and is recommended for most digital systems including iGen3. Samples are available by calling 1-800-6-Domtar or e-mailing samples@domtar.com.
Montréal, QC, April 20, 2007: FSC-certified printers received half of the Awards (105 of 210) awarded at the Gala Gutenberg 2007. The awards gala recognized Québec-based printers and was held as part of the 4th annual Grafik'Art print tradeshow in Montréal April 19-21, 2007.
Printers were awarded Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mentions in a wide variety of categories. For the second year in a row, FSC-certified Datachrome was awarded the highest honour with the Grand Gutenberg Award. The award was given for their production of a promotional brochure for photographer Yanick Déry. Other FSC-certified printers receiving awards included:
Congratulations to all those who were honoured at the Gala Gutenberg 2007!
Antigonish County, NS, March 26, 2007: Landowners who sell FSC-certified pulpwood ratified a deal with FSC-certified paper manufacturer Stora Enso's Port Hawkesbury operations that will bring them the highest wood prices in the Maritimes.
The Nova Scotia Landowners & Forest Fibre Producers Association (the NSLFFPA), a FSC group certificate holder that includes landowners from the seven eastern counties of Nova Scotia, negotiated to receive $84.50 a cord, compared to landowners outside their region who are receiving $47.05 a cord in western Nova Scotia and $39.00 a cord in New Brunswick.
The NSLFFPA provides a forest program called Forest Fibre under which five landowners became FSC-certified as part of a pilot program last year. Under their new agreement, Stora Enso has agreed for a portion of the premium ($3.75 a cord), to go into a special Association Certification Fund to help pay for management plans and audits required under FSC certification. As a result, the NSLFFPA plans to open the certification pool to all members. The program will also extend outside the association's registered area of collective bargaining where premiums will be paid for certified suppliers up to 250km from the Port Hawkesbury mill, an area that covers nearly two-thirds of the province's geographical area. "Stora's customers are demanding woodland certification," said Kingsley Brown, certification committee member of the NSLFFPA.
"This is a significant victory for all Nova Scotians, however, because for the first time anywhere we negotiated a formula to pay for certification management plans and audits from our wood so that all landowners, members or non-members, can be registered to the highest standards in the world. This assures access to growing markets demanding proof that our woodlands are being managed properly" said Brown.
Montreal, QC, April 2007: Founder of FSC-certified Transcontinental Printing, Rémie Marcoux, has been named a member to the Order of Canada for his work in the Canadian business community.
Mr. Marcoux purchased a small printing shop with 30 employees in 1976 and has the firm has grown to encompass 14,000 employees and sales of over $2 billion. In 2004, Mr. Marcoux became the executive chairman of the Board of Transcontinental Printing, and handed over the reigns to Luc Desjardins.
Outside of Transcontinental, Mr. Marcoux was instrumental in fundraising for the International Centre for Conflict Resolution and Mediation, aimed at preventing violence in schools.
Transcontinental Printing first became certified in 2003, and today, 3 of the 51 operations in Canada are FSC-certified. For the full story visit www.printaction.com/default.php/online/news-03-23-07#marcoux
Photo: Rémi Marcoux of Transcontinental Printing
April 2007: Just in time for weeding season there is now a wide variety of options for environmentally friendly FSC-certified wedding invitations.
Domtar provides an FSC-certified option for wedding invitations, menus, certificates, diplomas and more with their Skytone line of papers. A new Skytone swatchbook is available by calling 1-800-6-DOMTAR or e-mailing samples@domtar.com. Online retailer Formal-Invitations.com also offers a variety of FSC-certified wedding invitations made with a variety of FSC-certified papers and available in a selection of styles and colors to suit any wedding themes. All envelopes and corresponding cards are made from FSC-certified 100% post consumer recycled papers.
For the full press release visit www.prweb.com/releases/2007/04/prweb518563.htm
Toronto, ON, March 27, 2007: BookExpo Canada, a Canadian publishing industry tradeshow, has announced a strategic partnership with FSC-certified paper manufacturer Cascades Fine Papers Group.
This partnership is one of several new initiatives that BookExpo Canada's management is adopting in 2007 as part of its mandate to repurpose and reposition the tradeshow. The result of this strategic partnership will see over 90% of BookExpo Canada's marketing material printed on FSC-certified 100% post consumer recycled Rolland Enviro100 Print paper from Cascades.
"In the trade show business, the use of paper is a core part of our marketing efforts. BookExpo Canada is concerned about its effect on the environment specifically regarding the loss of old growth forests and the effects on global climate change. As a corporation, we are committed to protecting the environment and to the responsible use of natural resources" said Dahlia de Rushe, Event Director.
For the full press release click here. For more information on this year's BookExpo tradeshow visit www.bookexpo.ca
Palo Alto, CA, April 10, 2007: PaperSpecs has announced a new service for members, which makes it easier to search for FSC-certified paper. Designers and print buyers can now search for papers by recycled content (Total Recycled Content or Post Consumer Waste), identify what certifications each paper carriers and order swatchbooks. The PaperSpecs website includes 4,200 papers from over 70 different mills. For more information go to www.paperspecs.com.
Waltham, Massachusetts, March 26, 2007: Earth, Inc., the Waltham-based company and source for Earth (r) brand footwear and apparel, is re-invigorating its commitment to environmental responsibility through various company-wide initiatives. As part of these initiatives Earth will print its product catalogues on a combination of FSC-certified 30% post-consumer recycled and wood-free papers, using wind powered energy. For the full press release visit www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,80166.shtml
Bennington, NH, March 21, 2007: FSC-certified paper producer Monadnock now offers their leading brand clients such as Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Tiffany & Co., Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein and Bloomingdales, the option of using FSC-certified packaging. Monadnock has introduced a line of cosmetic and high-end retail packaging containing FSC-certified virgin fibre and either 65% or 80% post-consumer recycled content.
Monadnock's increased portfolio of capabilities for high quality environmental packaging now also includes other recycled material and various "tree-free" fibers such as cotton.
For the full press release visit www.mpm.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27& For more information or paper samples call 877-877-2098 or visit www.mpm.com.
Cohoes, NY, April 12, 2007: FSC-certified paper manufacturer Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. became an early leader in the use of wind-generated electricity for manufacturing paper and was recognized for its leadership as a National Green Power Award Winner in 2005.
As of March 1, 2007, Mohawk Fine Papers has increased its purchase of wind-generated electricity renewable energy certificates (RECs) from 45,000,000 kWh to 60,000,000 kWh annually. This is approximately 60% of all of the electric energy used for all of Mohawk's manufacturing, converting and distribution operations.
According to George Milner, Mohawk's Senior Vice President, Energy, Environmental and Government Affairs, wind-generated energy now offsets 60% of the electric power required for all of Mohawk's operations in New York and Ohio. "Windpower is the future of renewable energy," notes Milner, "Yes, our customers find 'sustainable papers' a tangible way to express their own commitment to sustainability but the larger idea is to stabilize energy costs and to do so in a socially responsible manner. The cost of electricity is going up 4-5% per year because much of it is made with fossil fuels. When you build a wind farm, the only future costs are maintenance."
Mohawk Options, 50/10 (on request), Strathmore Script, Via and Color Copy are all made with wind energy and available as FSC-certified. For more information visit www.mohawkpaper.com or call 1 800 the mill. For the full press release visit www.csrwire.com/News/8132.html
Sault St. Marie, ON, April 22, 2007: After FSC-certified paper manufacturer St. Marys Paper Ltd. voluntarily entered Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) protection nearly six months ago, the mill shut down its third and final paper machine on Saturday April 21st.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), which represents 335 members in four bargaining units inside the 380-worker mill, was near unanimous a month ago in its rejection of an 11th-hour company offer to salvage financial restructuring of the mill.
The Bank of America, which has financed continued mill operations since St. Marys voluntarily entered CCAA protection in October 2006, requested the implementation of the wind down after it lost confidence in the company's ability to achieve a successful restructuring, particularly since no labour agreement had been reached with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP).
Cec Makowski, CEP Ontario Region vice-president, said last week the union has been working actively with two yet-unidentified groups for about a month and recently entered discussions with a third party. Interested parties have until May 4 to make submissions on company assets, either on nine separate packages, including machinery and property, or on the mill in its entirety. One week after the submission deadline, on May 11, the court-appointed monitor is expected to make a recommendation to the court on how the asset(s) should be dispersed.
For recent stories:
March 23, 2007, The Working Forest, "Union Scraps St. Marys' Offer" March 29, 2007, The Working Forest, "Layoffs Begin at St. Marys" April 19, 2007, The Sault Star, "Last roll Saturday at St. Marys; union says three potential buyers interested" April 22, 2007, The Sault Star, "Where's the buyers? St. Marys says it hasn't seen any with 12 days remaining"
Kapuskasing, ON, March 30, 2007: FSC-certified integrated forest company Tembec has been recognized for their support in helping to build and advance a culture of conservation in the province. Tembec was the first applicant to the Ontario Power Authority's Demand Response Program (DRP), which started in late June 2006. The DRP pays large power consumers for not using power during periods of high electricity demand.
Peter Love, Ontario's Chief Energy Conservation Officer, presented Tembec with a Certificate of Recognition that was accepted by Terry Skiffington, VP & General Manager of Tembec's Kapuskasing Operations.
"Our facility in Kapuskasing is one of the most efficient consumers of electricity in the world; nonetheless, we are a large power user. The establishment of DRP on a trial basis last summer certainly created a win-win situation. Our ability to shift large blocks of power allows us to make a significant contribution to both the reliability and cost of the Province's power supply," said Skiffington.
For the full story visit www.workingforest.com/02-news/article.php?id=2984
Washington, D.C., Feb. 13, 2007: The U.S. Green Building Council's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) working group has developed initial recommendations for incorporating Life Cycle Assessment of building materials as part of the continuous improvement of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System. The recommendations include short and long term implementation strategies as well as technical details regarding LCA methodology.
LEED is a certification system covering the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. Buildings earn points towards attaining certification by incorporating green design and construction elements, including using FSC-certified wood products.
LCA is a scientific methodology that holistically evaluates the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle: from the extraction or harvesting of raw materials through processing, manufacture, installation, use, and ultimate disposal or recycling. In buildings it can be used to compare the environmental benefits or detriments of options available to the design team.
"Until now, there hasn't been much work done incorporating LCA into U.S. building practice because of limited research," said Tom Hicks, Vice President of the U.S. Green Building Council. "We are venturing into new territory, but as the nation's leading green building organization, USGBC has a responsibility to ensure that LEED's evolution addresses LCA in a meaningful and relevant manner."
Incorporating LCA assessments into LEED standards will bode well for the use of wood in LEED projects, wood being a favorable construction material from an LCA perspective. The use of FSC-certified wood products is eligible for points in attaining LEED certification, meaning that by incorporating LCA FSC-certified wood products may qualify for additional points.
For the full story visit www.greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=34592
Toronto, ON, April 17, 2007: Citizens Bank of Canada, in partnership with the Conservation Council of Ontario (CCO) and Green$aver, has unveiled its first green mortgage. The mortgage helps homeowners identify changes that can be made in their homes to help the environment and reduce energy costs.
"Today's announcement signifies a new level of client care and social responsibility in Canadian banking services," said Jason Farris, president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Canada. "The partnership formed between Citizens Bank of Canada, the Conservation Council of Ontario and Green$aver allows borrowers to match their environmental desires with their financial needs. We embrace the opportunity to help Ontarians conserve energy and reduce their environmental impact."
Each "Green Mortgage" holder will receive a blue curb-side recycling box containing ten compact fluorescent light bulbs, a registration rebate for a Green$aver Home Energy Audit worth $375, product samples, and coupons for trees, renewable power, car-sharing, and other environmental products and services.
For the full press release visit https://www.citizensbank.ca/Personal/AboutUs/MediaCentre/April17/
Vancouver, BC, April 21, 2007: GreenWorks Building Supply, a newly opened home improvement store for homeowners and builders in Vancouver, has recently received FSC Chain of Custody certification.
GreenWorks Building Supply opened its doors in Vancouver just two months ago, and aims to provide a one-stop shop for green home renovation and building supplies. "People have been struggling to find stuff that is green or healthy, and you can find it if you're really putting a lot of energy into it. But what we're trying to do here is put it all under one roof," says Alastair Moore, who founded GreenWorks with his friend Pete McGee. They have had a very positive response from consumers thus far. "There was a pent-up demand for sure" says Moore.
GreenWorks offers FSC-certified countertops made from 100% recycled materials, flooring, and lumber. GreenWorks also offers a large variety of other green home products, from biodegradable wool carpeting to wall insulation made from the scraps of blue jean production.
Visit www.greenworksbuildingsupply.com for more information or click here for the news story featured in the Globe and Mail.
Paris, France, March 22, 2007: FSC-certified Precious Woods has won the "Established Business" trophy of the competition "Trophées de l'économie positive". The prize was awarded for Precious Woods' pioneering achievements in the responsible management and use of tropical forests.
Trophies were awarded in two categories: "Established Businesses" and "Start-ups". The three finalists of each category were selected from a total of 60 businesses. The trophy in the Start-ups category went to Ocean Power Delivery, a Scottish wave energy company.
Awarded for the first time in 2007, the creators of this sustainable business prize are the consultancy firm, BeCitizen, the HEC School of Management. The Trophées de l'économie positive to acknowledges businesses that have succeeded in transforming the major social and environmental challenges of our times into opportunities for development by creating new products and services or original business models. The awards honour innovations that create growth benefiting all stakeholders, and contribute directly towards the improvement of the environment.
Precious Woods is an international company whose core activities include the reforestation and responsible management of tropical forests, timber processing and the trading of FSC-certified wood products. The generation of emission rights and electricity from waste wood are also integral parts of the company's business concept.
"We are absolutely delighted to have won this important award", said Andreas Heusler, CEO of Precious Woods, after the award ceremony. "For Precious Woods this is further confirmation that our approach is the right one. It is our aim to protect forests by using them sustainably. We are convinced that in addition to delivering a positive contribution to the environment and society, this approach also provides us with important, long-term competitive advantages over our business rivals. The award strengthens our resolve to push forward with our new projects."
For the full press release visit www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=7931
New York, NY, April 02, 2007: Independent hotels and major chains have planted a crop of green hotels that stem from guidelines constituting environmentally friendly construction. Starwood Capital, Starwood Hotels, InterContinental and Fairmont have green hotel properties under construction in the United States or are seeking ways to retrofit existing properties.
Various buildings are seeking certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council. These standards apply to sustainable site development, water and energy conservation, selection of materials and the quality of the indoor environment.
The first hotel to be built to the LEED standards opened last year: the 86-room Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco. More than half the hotel's wood-based products are FSC-certified.
For the full story visit www.btnmag.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/frontpage_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003565624
Photo: Lobby at the Orchard Garden Hotel in San Francisco, a LEED project where more than 50% of the used wood products are FSC-certified.
New York, NY, April 3, 2007: New market research co-sponsored by McGraw-Hill and the National Association of Home Builders, found that people who bought green are 85 percent happier with their new green homes versus their previous non-green ones. And more than a quarter of new green homeowners reported first hearing about green homes through word of mouth.
The survey also found that green products are taking center stage in remodeling projects as well. About half the overall U.S. homeowner population has recently done some renovation work on their home, and approximately 40 percent of those are using green products in their remodeling.
Demographics unearthed in the research showed that the average new green homeowner is affluent and well educated, in his/her mid-forties and married, and also more likely to be from the Southern or Western states. Women are also more likely to be green homeowners than men.
More than any other factor, saving money by building green was the motivating factor for these homeowners. 63 percent reported financial concerns as the key reason behind buying a green home. About 50 percent reported environmental concerns and family health as motivators.
According to this new research, 0.3 percent of all existing United States homes are constructed using several different green building design features and products, a market sized at approximately $2 billion.
Survey results will be published this summer in the next issue of the McGraw-Hill Construction SmartMarket Report series and available at www.builderbooks.com.
For the full story visit www.greenerbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?NewsID=34826 or www.nahb.org/news_details.aspx?newsID=4304
Jakarta, Indonesia , March 26, 2007: Thirty-eight corporations part of the Dutch Housing Association have committed to building 100,000 houses in the next five years using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified timber from Borneo.
These houses comprise 25 per cent of the total number of houses to be built in the Netherlands over the next five years. The commitment was announced at the Jakarta Conference: Linking Dutch Markets to Borneo's Sustainable Forest held in Jakarta from 26 to 29 March.
"The use of timber from responsibly managed forests is widely regarded as a way to help solve the problem of deforestation and forest degradation," said Ian Kosasih, WWF-Indonesia's Forest-Species Programme Director.
"Today's commitment shows that a market for FSC certified timber is present and increasing significantly."
The campaign is a joint initiative of WWF-Netherlands, FSC Netherlands, Woonbron and several other players in the Dutch housing sector. The campaign aims to ensure that all housing associations will opt for the use of timber and timber products from well-managed forests, and that this commitment is spelt out in a mutual agreement with FSC Netherlands.
For the full story visit www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/asia_pacific/news/index.cfm?uNewsID=97740
Photo: Borneo. House built from 90% FSC certified timber.
Toronto, ON, April 26, 2007: WWF-Canada and Domtar have taken their partnership to new heights with an ambitious agreement that solidifies their joint commitment to ensuring the long-term conservation of the Canadian boreal forest, a globally significant forest region. Through this agreement, WWF-Canada will work with Domtar on the following areas: * To pursue FSC certification for all Domtar-managed forestland in Canada, * To identify important areas for protection on Domtar-managed lands; * To promote FSC-certified environmentally responsible papers, such as Domtar's EarthChoice(r) line. Domtar has been working in partnership with WWF-Canada since November 2003 when it became the first Canadian-based fine papers company to pledge to certify all of its forests and mills to the rigorous FSC standard. Since then, Domtar has achieved FSC certification for 5 million hectares of its forestland, setting an example for others to follow in meeting the challenges of sustainable forest management. The company has also already voluntarily identified areas for protection equivalent to three times the size of Toronto, in addition to government regulated protected areas in their forests.
In 2006 Domtar President and C.E.O. received FSC Canada's first Winds of Change award for the contribution and commitment the company has made to transforming the marketplace and ensuring the healthy of Canadian forests. To learn more, visit www.wwf.ca or www.domtar.com. To read the full press release visit http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-26-2007/0004574646&EDATE=
Bonn, Germany, May 2007: The FSC International Centre has put out a call for nominations for the 2007 election of three new members to the FSC Board of Directors.
Board members Grant Rosoman's (Environmental 'Northern' chamber), Martha Núñez's (Social 'Southern' chamber), and Chris E. van Dam's (Social 'Southern' chamber) term will be ending in September 2007.
FSC International Centre calls for nomination of candidates to fill three seats: Southern Environmental, Southern Social, and Southern Social. The FSC International Board of Directors is made up of 9 representatives. There are three representatives from each of three chambers: environmental, social and economic. Amongst these 9 members there is equal representation of the Northern and Southern hemispheres by alternating annually between a five representative versus four representative division.
Candidates are requested to forward their nominations to the FSC Secretariat by 15 May 2007. Any individual FSC member or designated representative of a member organization of the FSC may be nominated. All nominations shall include the: * name of the candidate, * organization represented by the candidate (if applicable), * name and signature of the FSC member nominating the candidate, and * name and signature of the two FSC members seconding the nomination. For full details click here.
Bonn, Germany, April 11, 2007: In September 2004, FSC International embarked on a formal review of its policies and procedures for the certification of plantations. A 12-member Policy Working Group was formed and endorsed by the FSC International Board of Directors in March 2005. The group has completed and submitted their final report, which includes seven sets of final recommendations. The report was approved by the FSC Board of Directors at their 44th meeting held in Bonn, Germany in March 2007.
The final recommendations highlight the need for further clarification and guidance on FSC requirements regarding stakeholder consultation, social issues, chemical use, ecosystem integrity, and further investigation into the issue of plantations established in areas converted after November 1994. They also highlight the need for an overall review of the FSC system in order to reduce unnecessary complexities, increase revenue, strengthen the role and support for national initiatives, ensure high quality and transparent certification assessments and auditing of certification bodies, and to develop a clear strategy and vision for FSC.
FSC is now looking for individuals who are interested to actively participate in the technical phase of the FSC Plantations Review. Selected individuals will work in teams of Technical Experts to further develop the policy recommendations of the first phase of the Plantations Review into practical handbooks, models, best practice guidelines and online tools and resources for forest and plantation managers.
Applications to join a Technical Expert Team should be sent to Sarah McKay at plantations@fsc.org before June 1, 2007. Please include your curriculum vitae outlining your educational and professional history, and a cover letter highlighting your knowledge/experience of FSC certification and critical qualifications for the team you would like to join.
For full details click here.
Clayoquot Sound, BC, March 29, 2007: Two Alberni-Clayoquot forest companies have signed an agreement-in-principle to seek FSC-certification.
Ma-Mook Natural Resources Ltd. and Port Alberni's Coulson Group announced they will harvest and mill timber from TFL 54 according to Forest Stewardship Council standards. Ma-Mook also announced it has purchased TFL 54 from International Forest Products Ltd.
"We will be focused on certifying TFL 54 to FSC standards and we will be processing this timber through our three lumber manufacturing facilities that have already been FSC certified," said Wayne Coulson, president and CEO of the Coulson Group.
TFL 54 is located in Clayoquot Sound and boasts an annual allowable cut of 66,759 cubic metres. Ma-Mook is owned by the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Toquaht and Ucluelet First Nations.
"TFL 54 has not operated since 2004 and this new partnership will create new opportunities for surrounding communities," said Gary Johnsen, president of Ma-Mook.
"This joint venture represents a tremendous business opportunity between Coulson Group, a smaller, family owned and operated forest company, and local First Nations, and marks an important contribution to the development of a new relationship with First Nations," added Shawn Atleo, B.C. regional chief, Assembly of First Nations. For the full story click here. Photo: Aerial view of Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia
Georgetown, Guyana, March 18th 2007: Barama Company Limited's (BCL's) five-year FSC certification was suspended in January 2007 for three months after it was found to be deficient in meeting FSC's environmental and safety standards. A recent pre-audit inspection by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) shows that the company has fulfilled most of the corrective actions required.
Both BCL and its auditor SGS-Qualifor were found to be deficient at varying levels by Accreditation Services International (ASI) after an audit late last year leading to the three-month suspension of BCL's certification.
The FSC's Annual Surveillance of SGS for 2006 found that BCL had been deficient on a number of fronts, including harvesting on Amerindian reservations, logging outside of its concession, basic health and safety requirements for workers, no evidence of sustainability in harvesting, failure to perform the relevant environmental impact assessments and the unsafe disposal of environmentally hazardous waste.
After meeting with auditors from SGS-Qualifor and representatives from ASI, Barama has agreed that they will seek FSC reinstatement until all corrective action requirements (CARS) are met.
For the full story click here.
Sofia, Bulgaria, February 26, 2007: After three years of intensive efforts, WWF welcomes a decision by the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to certify, in the next five years, 30 per cent of the country's state-owned forests, or one million hectares, to FSC standards.
"This is great news for nature conservation as well as for the timber industry in Bulgaria," said Zhivko Bogdanov, WWF Danube Carpathian Programme Forestry Officer. "It will mean both improved forest management and more market opportunities for FSC-certified companies in the country."
Demand for FSC-certified wood products from the European Union has generated interest in becoming chain of custody certified wood processing companies in Bulgaria. The next steps for Bulgaria will be the finalization of national FSC forest management standards, and their accreditation by FSC.
For the full story visit www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=61640
Oakville, ON, April 16, 2007: The Town of Oakville was officially designated as the 2007 Forest Capital of Canada by the Canadian Forestry Association (CFA), who annually chooses a community or region that demonstrates stewardship and sound practices toward sustainable forest development, management and conservation. The Town of Oakville has 3 woodlands totaling 101 acres that are FSC-certified under the Eastern Ontario Model Forest's group certificate.
The Town of Oakville was recognized based on its strong track record of urban forest planning and management. "The Board of Directors of the Canadian Forestry Association is proud to designate of the Town of Oakville as the 2007 Forest Capital of Canada," said Dave Lemkay, General Manager of The Canadian Forestry Association. "The Town's urban forest planning and management is evident in the beauty and integrity of its street trees, parks, woodlots and trails."
The Town joins a list of past Forest Capitals that include the County of Simcoe, ON (1982), Grande Prairie, AB (1997), La Mauricie QC (2001) and Alberta's Boreal (2005).
For the full press release click here.
Ottawa, ON, May 14-16, 2007: The annual conference and tradeshow of the Canadian Marketing Association is being held May 14-16, 2007, at the Ottawa Congress Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. This three-day convention aims to provide the knowledge, leading edge solutions, and competitive advantage needed to take your business to the next level of success and succeed in the hyper-competitive marketing world.
Join Maia Becker, FSC Canada's Manager of Communications and Client Services on May 15th as she discusses how companies can walk the CSR talk and gain market benefits of a 'green' corporate strategy through responsible procurement policies, strategic partnerships, and the producing or purchasing certified products. A case study of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international certification and labeling system for paper and wood products will be explored.
FSC Canada's participation in this event is in partnership with Supremex, an FSC-certified manufacturer of a broad range of stock and custom envelopes and related products.
For more information and to register visit www.the-cma.org/convention/
New York, NY, March 21, 2007: Fortune magazine has included a special report in its April 2 edition entitled "Going Green" which includes a list of ten companies that go beyond what the law requires to operate in an environmentally responsible way. The companies cited by Fortune as being ahead of the learning curve on the strategic value of environmentalism in their industries include, in no particular order: Honda, Continental Airlines, Suncor, Tesco, Alcan, PG&E, S.C. Johnson, Goldman Sachs, Swiss RE and Hewlett-Packard. In separate stories, FORTUNE also notes the environmental efforts of Patagonia and DuPont, along with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Fortune magazine writer Matthew Boyle has also recently sat down with Rainforest Alliance's Executive Director Tensie Whelan in a recent online interview from April 19th, 2007.
Founded in 1987, the New York-based non-profit Rainforest Alliance is one of the world's largest certifiers through its SmartWood program. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year the Rainforest Alliance has surpassed the 100 million acre mark in certifying forestlands to FSC standards, the largest area certified by any FSC certifying body in the world.
Rainforest Alliance has also helped Fortune 500 companies like Kraft, McDonald's, Whole Foods, and Goldman Sachs address environmental and social issues in a new light.
In the interview Whelan highlights the recent commitment by Scholastic to print the final installment of the Harry Potter series on FSC-certified papers (the largest purchase of FSC-certified paper to be used in a single book printing to date) as a recent major success of the Rainforest Alliance. Whelan also discusses RA's movement into sustainable tourism and certification in mining, livestock, oil and gas, and in biofuel crops like sugar, palm oil and soy. For the full interview with Tensie Whelan visit http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/19/news/companies/pluggedin_boyle_rainforest.fortune/?postversion=2007041910
For the full press release about Fortune's green edition visit www.csrwire.com/PressRelease.php?id=7903
Portland, Oregon, April 2007: Metafore, a non-profit organization that works with business, government and other leaders to meet environmental goals, has put forth a call for entries for their second annual Innovation Awards. The awards recognize product and service innovations that reduce or offset climate change through new methods and processes. Entries are being accepted now until Friday, May 18th, 2007.
The Metafore Innovation Awards will best exemplify Metafore's vision of a future where business practices--by their very nature--are in alignment with positive social and environmental results. An independent panel of judges will select winners in the two categories--products and services. Award winners will notified by August 1, 2007, and recognized at an awards ceremony in the Fall.
For more information contact Metafore at 503-224-2205. You can access the entry form at: www.metafore.org or http://www.metafore.org/downloads/2007_awards.pdf
May 1-3, 2007, Matagami, QC: Sustainable management of recent burns: Issues and perspectives Registration is now open for the 9th Annual Workshop of the NSERC-UQAT-UQAM Industrial Chair in Sustainable Forest Management (SFM Chair) to be held at the Centre civique in Matagami, Québec, from May 1st to 3rd, 2007. The workshop will include guest-speaker presentations on the economic, ecological and social aspects of salvage logging in recent burns. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss with invited speakers and to debate, in plenary sessions, the opportunity to develop ecosystem management strategies in post-fire landscapes. Call for posters: Are you doing research related to issues of recent burns? Then you may want to present a scientific poster at the 9th Annual Workshop of SFM Chair. Submit the title of your poster and an abstract (200 words) before April, 7th, 2007 at ChaireAFD@uqat.ca. Don't forget to register before April, 13th, 2007 to receive the reduced registration fees! (Registration form available on website) http://web2.uqat.ca/cafd/accueil_e.htm
May 5, 2007, Akwesasne, ON: Eastern Ontario Model Forest Annual Spring Gathering Join the members of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest at Akwesasne for a cultural and spiritual celebration marking 15 years as a model forest. Look forward to: - a great day of camaraderie celebrating the culture and spirituality of the forest - a hearty traditional meal of corn soup, fried bread and other delicacies - a visit to the Ronathahonni Cultural Center (formerly the Native North American Traveling College) - traditional dancing and singing in the form of an afternoon social - a ceremonial tree planting The cost is $10 per person or $20 per family. Please RSVP to Elizabeth Holmes at (613) 258-8415 or eholmes@eomf.on.ca. http://eomf.on.ca/news/news_details_e.aspx?ID=300
May 7, 2007, Toronto, ON: Janet Rosenberg, DX Power Lecture Series The Design Exchange launches The 2007 DX Power Lecture Series with a presentation by Janet Rosenberg on May 7, 2007 (postponed from April 3, 2007). Ms. Rosenberg will talk about her experience as a Landscape Designer and the importance for design professionals to create spaces that are for people and about people. www.dx.org/speakers/speakers2007.html
May 7, 2007, Toronto, ON: Voice of the Boreal Forest Join Ontario Nature and the Toronto Field Naturalists for a fun and inspiring multimedia experience about the billions of songbirds that breed in the majestic boreal forest. You will hear about the threats their breeding grounds face, as well as the tremendous conservation opportunity to protect this special place and what you can do to help. The presentation will be presented at the St. Lawrence for the Performing Arts (27 Front Street East, Toronto). Tickets are $25 and available for purchase at www.stlc.com or by calling 416-366-7723. For more information contact Jen Baker, Ontario Nature, at 416-444-8419 x224 or jenniferb@ontarionature.org
May 8-10, 2007, Vancouver, BC: Forest Leadership Conference Geared towards decision-makers and the many groups and stakeholders committed to forest & paper sector sustainability, the 2007 ForestLeadership Conference provides a compelling and effective means to take the pulse of critical sustainability trends, challenges, and opportunities in North America. The conference is expected to draw an audience of over 300 delegates and takes place in the same venue as, and just prior to, the 20th PricewaterhouseCoopers Forest & Paper Conference. www.forestleadership.com
May 10, 2007, Vancouver, BC: 2007 Global Forest and Paper Industry Conference May Join CEOs and senior forest and paper executives, industry analysts, customers and government policy makers from around the world as they discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the global industry. This one-day conference will once again include a panel of CEOs from the world's leading forest product companies. https://secure.ca.pwc.com/85256EF3004DD842/frmForestCon?Readform
May 12, 2007, Toronto, ON: Third Annual Leslieville Tree Festival This year there will be a wonderful mix of tree and nature-related performers, children's art activities, food, games and more! LEAF will also be holding a plant sale this year. The Leslie Grove Park is located at the junction of Queen St. and Jones Ave in Toronto. The Festival will be open to the public and will run from 12 noon to 4pm. The event is being organized by LEAF, Councillor Paula Fletcher, and the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
May 14-16, 2007, Ottawa, ON: CMA 2007 National Convention and Trade Show Whether you're a Delegate, Exhibitor, Speaker or Sponsor this value-packed convention will provide you with the knowledge, leading edge solutions, and competitive advantage you need to take your business to the next level of success. The 2007 National Convention & Trade Show is a business building opportunity you just cannot afford to miss! www.the-cma.org/convention/
May 14-19, 2007, Barcelona, Spain: Construmat Green Building Trade Show Despite the various positive attributes of wood as a construction material, a significant part of the timber consumed by this sector today comes from illegal or unsustainable logging generating serious environmental and social impacts for forests and local people. To improve the use of wood coming from sound forest management, WWF GFTN will facilitate in CONSTRUMAT 2007 an international meeting between responsible producers and consumers of wood products. www.construmat.com
May 25-27, 2007, Montreal, QC: Montreal International Interior Design Show The Montréal International Interior Design Show has earned an impressive history within the industry. It brings together all members of the design community in order to discover new business opportunities, launch new trends and awaken creativity. This coming May 25th to 27th, designers, architects, institutional managers, corporate buyers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors and business people alike will attend the event, to be held in the Main Hall of Place Bonaventure. www.sidim.com/2006/en/index.php
May 27-29, 2007, Montreal, QC: Canadian Responsible Investment Conference Registrations are in full swing for Canadian Responsible Investment Conference, to be held May 27-29 in Montreal. The early registration deadline is May 4. Full program, registration and hotel booking information is available through the conference website. The Conference is the biennial summit on socially responsible investment in Canada. This conference is ideally timed to provide essential information and networking opportunities. Panels and breakouts are specially themed for asset managers, fund companies, financial advisors, investment consultants, plan sponsors and institutional investors. Whether you are actively involved in SRI now, or want to know more, the Canadian Responsible Investment Conference offers an accessible, comprehensive program to learn about SRI. http://www.socialinvestment.ca/conf-2007.htm (English) http://www.socialinvestment.ca/French/conf-2007.htm (French) June 7-8, 2007, Ottawa, ON: Marcom 2007: Canada's Public Sector and Non-Profit Marketing Symposium Addresses today's top issues and trends in public sector and non-profit marketing from service delivery strategies and branding techniques to exemplary social marketing campaigns and methodologies for effective partnerships. The 2006 theme Positively Different signifies the unique approach to marketing in the public and non-profit sectors, the increasingly important role of the marketing communications function in reaching and impacting the lives of Canadians and the role that MARCOM plays in assisting professionals in these sectors achieve something Positively Different. www.marcom.ca/home.html
June 8-11, 2007, Toronto, ON: BookExpo Canada Held in Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, BookExpo Canada is a publishing industry trade show that combines a large and diverse selection of book titles with an unparalleled conference program. This special publishing industry and author event is held annually to create a dynamic environment for networking, sourcing and relationship building within the publishing industry in Canada. www.bookexpo.ca
June 10-13, 2007, Atlanta, Georgia: HOW Design Conference Like HOW magazine, the HOW Design Conference recognizes that graphic design is a business as well as an art. We launched this annual event in 1991 with the goal of providing a hands-on, educational program to enable designers to better balance the three key components of graphic design: creativity, business and technology. Conference sessions cover a mix of these three critical design issues, with particular emphasis on creative and business topics. http://howconference.com/
June 14-16, 2007, Toronto, ON: The DX National Design Conference This interdisciplinary conference, the second presented by the Design Exchange, Canada's National Design Center, seeks to explore the varied and future states of cities. Interested in the roles cities play in the economic, social and cultural lives of societies, this conference invite papers that explore such topics as the architectural, design and material culture of cities, densification, urban renewal, branding, zoning, adaptive re-use, gentrification, social responsibility and historic preservation. Contact: conference@dx.org
June 18-22, 2007, Vancouver, BC: 6th North American Forest Ecology Workshop From Science to Stewardship - Knowing, Understanding and Applying. The Workshop will bring forest ecologists from around the world together to share ideas and knowledge on forest ecosystems in North America. The program will include three days of plenary sessions and field trips. www.nafew2007.org/index.html June 19-20, 2007, Toronto, ON: EECO Environment & Energy Conference Series The EECO Conference Series is the only conference in the Great Lakes Economic Region designed to enable cross-border economic and environmental dialogue through integration of public policy, business strategies and capital flows. Held every two years in Toronto, it's a powerful forum that influences the trade and environment agenda for the whole of the Great Lakes Economy. **2007 Globe Awards Gala held as part of the closing luncheon for EECO on June 20. www.globe.ca/index.cfm?section=eecoseries September 18-21, 2007, Stellenbosch, South Africa: International Plantation Certification Symposium 2007 The Department of Forest and Wood Science, Stellenbosch University and the Southern African Institute of Forestry, in collaboration with the Program on Forest Policy and Governance, Yale University; the School of Forest Resources, Pennsylvania State University; the School of Government, University of Tasmania; and the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) Divisions 1 (Silviculture) and 5 (Forest Products), are proud to announce the presentation of an international Plantation Certification Symposium 2007 in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The aim of this symposium is to reflect on the effect that forest certification has had during the past ten years on plantations, in terms of their social, operation (including environmental) and economic sustainability. http://www.sun.ac.za/forestry/Symposium2007/Symp2007.html
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