Concern with the present management of forestland has spawned a large number of "sustainable forestry" efforts. These efforts are designed to provide assurance to the public and customers of forest product companies that wood and fiber has been grown and harvested in a responsible manner. Yet many of these efforts have different and sometimes conflicting standards, are not specific enough to judge whether a forest product company is in compliance, or do not provide for an independent verification of compliance. Those organizations seeking to purchase products or associate with landowners who use sustainable forestry practices face an increasing complex set of sustainability measures.

INTERFOREST offers a group of services to forest products industry customers and non-profit organizations to help make sense of these complex and changing stewardship initiatives. It may also be possible to provide these services to client groups interested in a common forest products company.

• Selection of appropriate sustainability criteria
  INTERFOREST can provide a summary of the various sustainability criteria and evaluate their relative strengths and limitations. As part of this service, INTERFOREST can recommend an existing stewardship initiative which best meets the client's objectives.

• Development of stewardship plans
  Where existing sustainable forestry initiatives are inappropriate or insufficient, INTERFOREST can work jointly with forest products industry suppliers, customers and non-profit organizations to design sustainable forestry stewardship plans to meet specific objectives.

• Verification of compliance with stewardship plans
  INTERFOREST offers independent and informed assessments of management practices in relation to a specified stewardship plan or set of principles. An evaluation of the practices of forest product companies selected by the client would include an assessment of practices which exceed the specified stewardship objectives, areas which are deficient relative to the stewardship plan, and suggested changes to forestry operations. INTERFOREST can tailor its evaluation to assess those aspects of a landowner's operations of interest to the client. This focus could be geographic or it may be on an individual component of forest management such as wildlife impacts or water quality protection. This service is particularly suitable to customers of forest products companies which do not participate in an existing certification program.

These services are designed to allow customers and other interested parties to responsibly evaluate the practices of forestland owners. Specific stewardship evaluation services can be tailored to the individual needs of your organization. For further information on the stewardship services available from INTERFOREST, please contact one of our representatives.