Program Overview
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program is a comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists and scientists, among others that combines the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the long-term protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality. The SFI program was developed in 1994 to ensure North America's valuable forests were protected and to document the commitment of forest products industry members to keep our forests healthy and to practice the highest level of sustainable forestry. Currently, over 250 million acres of forestland in North America have been third-party audited to the SFI standard, making the SFI program among the world's largest sustainable forestry programs.
What is the Sustainable Forestry Initiative?
SFI Standard
The SFI Standard is based on 13 Principles, 15 Objectives, 37 Performance Measures, and 101 Indicators that address economic, environmental, cultural and legal issues, in addition to a commitment to continuously improve sustainable forest management. The board of directors of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Inc. solely governs the content of the SFI Standard and all aspects of the program. The diversity of the board members reflects the variety of interests in the forestry community. Of the 15 board members, five are the CEOs of nonprofit environmental groups; five board members are the CEOs of forest products companies; and the remaining board members represent stakeholders from the broader forest community.
Keeping our forests healthy and resilient is important. Sustainable forestry will continue to provide the wood and paper products that are vital to all, while additionally ensuring that participants conduct best management practices while supplying this fiber. Conducting harvests using the best management practices maintains water quality, soil structure, and healthy wildlife for all future generations. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative program is based on the premise that responsible environmental practices and sound business practices can be integrated to benefit all including; landowners, shareholders, customers, and the people who utilize forests for other purposes.
The SFI program provides a framework for foresters, landowners, loggers and wood and paper producers to satisfy the growing demands of society for responsibly produced products, scientifically sound in-woods management, and to be verified by third-party program audit systems.
"The Sustainable Forestry Initiative will have terrific long-term payoffs for improved forest conservation in the United States"
James W. Giltmier
Senior Fellow, Pinchot Institute for Conservation
Logger + Trainee Database
The SFI training program was developed to satisfy the wood-procurement and harvesting requirements of the many SFI-certified wood purchasing companies in Michigan. SFE training consists of two components core training (CT) and continuing education training (CE). This database can be checked by foresters and procurement staff who work for SFI-certified companies.
Facts About Forestry
How long do trees live?
Most trees don't survive their first year. However, trees can live as long as 4,000 years, but this is very rare. In Michigan, tree species longevity ranges from about 80 years to about 1,200 years (potentially). Northern white cedar is the longest living tree species in Michigan.