Third-party, performance-based Certification: What public forestland managers should know

Abstract

Two state forests and one county forest have completed pilot programs testing verification of sustainable forest management by outside organizations. Among other goals, each agency wanted to assure citizens that their forests were well managed and to create models for nonindustrial private forestlands. All three agencies' performance was certified, and areas marked for improvement had already by targeted by staff. The certified then evaluated the certifiers and found them generally professional and technically competent, if occasionally unrealistic. Reaction from environmental organizations, which are cautious about promoting certification for public lands, has been mixed.