The Tyee -- A five-part series on the future of "green" wood

The battle is fierce between more stringent outfits like the Forest Stewardship Council and the U.S. timber industry-backed Sustainable Forestry Initiative. What are the competing standards? Which approach is gaining traction? And at a moment when the timber industry is hard hit in B.C., what are the prospects for making this province home to truly sustainable forestry harvest practices? The Tyee explores the war over eco-certified wood in this multi-part series.
Take Action: Tell the "Sustainable" Forestry Initiative to stop greenwashing its certification of forest destruction >>

Part 1: Future of 'Green' Wood Hangs on US Decision

New LEED rules poised to remake market for environmental forest products, Canadian timber. First of five parts this week.
By Monte Paulsen, March 15, 2010

Excerpt:

In September of 2009, lawyers representing the environmental group ForestEthics filed complaints with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service in which they accused the SFI of deceptive practices that amount to greenwashing. They also challenged the legitimacy of SFI's tax status as a public charity.

"The Forest Stewardship Council was put in a position -- with the LEED decision and SFI's ramping up -- of having to make a decision," said Seattle attorney Peter Goldman, who represents ForestEthics. "Were they just going to sit back and let SFI claim the green mantle? Were they going to watch SFI position themselves as an equal player in the paper and lumber market? Or was FSC going to do something about it?"

Part 2: Eco Group's Trade Complaint Targets US Wood Certifier

ForestEthics charges that SFI's 'vague' standards mislead consumers. Second of five parts this week.
By Monte Paulsen, March 16, 2010

Excerpt:

"SFI broadly claims that its standards include 'measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests with exceptional conservation value.' But most, if not all, of SFI's environmental and social measures in the SFI standard are vaguely worded, suggesting a central purpose to defend and legitimize status quo industrial forestry as environmentally and socially responsible, without requiring SFI participants to do more that they did before," ForestEthics' 27-page FTC complaint alleges.

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Part 3: Wood War Sprawls to IRS, Fortune 500

Can an industry-created nonprofit meet the test for a public-interest charity?
By Monte Paulsen, March 17, 2010

Excerpt:

"SFI Inc. is a fully independent, charitable organization dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management." So says the Sustainable Forestry Initiative's web site. And so says the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

But ForestEthics, an environmental group allied with the rival Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), doesn't believe the SFI is truly independent of the timber companies that created it. And ForestEthics has lodged a complaint challenging SFI's right to be a charitable organization.

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