Forestry certification could mean economic benefits for state

Indiana DNR Release:


The Indiana Department of Natural Resources forestry program got a recent boost when Scientific Certification Systems’ Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified the state’s private forest management program.

"This certificate assures the people of Indiana that the state’s forest resources are managed responsibly and will be protected for future Hoosiers," said John Seifert, Indiana DNR’s State Forester.

The certificate covers 528,332 acres of privately owned Indiana forests—almost 10,000 acres of which are considered as “high conservation value” forests by the FSC—and 7,800 landowners. The 154,000-acre State Forest system was certified previously by both FSC and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Forests cover almost 20 percent of Indiana land. In 2008, Indiana had 4.7 million acres of forestland, 84 percent of which was privately owned.

“High conservation forest” is an FSC term denoting forests that meet criteria defined by the FSC’s Principles and Criteria of Forest Stewardship (www.fsc.org).

Robert Hrubes, senior vice president at Scientific Certification Systems, said the certification could have a positive effect on the state’s economy.

"This is an outstanding move toward local economic development," Hrubes said. "When times are tough, the land provides. Even beyond recreation, tourism, and other outdoor activities, FSC certification means Indiana foresters are ready to enter a growing green economy.”

The FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation, FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives of the last decade to promote responsible forest management worldwide.

For more on SCS, see www.SCScertified.com/forestry.