There is broad public concern with forest management and timber harvesting practices. The idea of certifying forest products produced in an environmentally and socially sensitive manner grew out of concerns with practices in the tropics.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, to encourage market-driven changes in U.S. forest practices, has funded several NGOs to certify wood products from forests with environmentally sensitive timber management and harvesting standards, and to develop a network of progressive foresters committed to practices that protect the diverse ecological values of both public and private forests.
Market-driven certification is relatively new for U.S. forest products, which encompass solid-wood products (lumber, plywood and particle-based panels), pulp and paper. Our evaluation included (1) how well the project encouraged adoption of sustainable forest management practices; (2) how effectively Pew’s grantees implemented this strategy; (3) possible alternative strategies; and (4) the marketing campaign’s role and effectiveness. We assessed what each added to the existing array of laws, regulations, accepted practices, and development of market forces.
Client: The Pew Charitable Trusts
TerrAqua’s role: Evaluation team member.