Are there organizations working to protect the forests?
The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) was created in 1993 following the Rio Earth Summit to change the practice of responsible forestry worldwide. The FSC principles and criteria include conserving biological diversity, conserving old growth forests, protecting the well–being of indigenous groups, and slowing global climate change. The FSC has established a credible certification program that guarantees that the product comes from a well–managed forest. (www.fsc.org) Originally founded by the American Pulp and Paper Association, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) program became fully independent in 2007. It is based on the premise that we can protect our forests while producing the wood and paper products our economy needs. The SFI program integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, water, and air quality. Over 126 million acres of land are certified by independent, third–party audits to meet the rigorous SFI standard.
