USDA Study Backs Importance of Certified Wood
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recognized the environmental and economic benefits of wood certified to all credible standards, including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
In September, USDA released a report saying wood from sustainable sources promotes a healthy environment and a strong economy, and in the accompanying news release said: "Sustainability of forest products can be verified using any credible third-party rating system, such as Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council or American Tree Farm System certification."
"This study confirms what many environmental scientists have been saying for years," says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Wood should be a major component of American building and energy design. The use of wood provides substantial environmental benefits, provides incentives for private landowners to maintain forest land, and provides a critical source of jobs in rural America."
The study, Science Supporting the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Using Wood and Wood Products in Green Building Construction, says a recent lifecycle analysis found that harvesting, transporting, manufacturing, and using wood in lumber and panel products in building yields fewer emissions – including greenhouse gases – than the resource extraction, manufacture and use of other common building materials.
It says "sustainable forest management can produce stronger, healthier forests that serve as a 'carbon sink' to clean air of greenhouse gases and purify drinking water for wildlife and U.S. municipal water systems. Harvested trees can find value in wood products and systems for green building construction that continue to benefit the environment."
Larry Selzer, President and CEO of The Conservation Fund and Vice-Chair of the SFI Board of Directors, says the study is good news for forests and forest communities. "Working forests are an essential part of our nation's critical infrastructure," he says. "They provide clean air, clean water, wood products and jobs for more than two million people. By taking this step in recognizing the importance of wood in green building and the role of forest certification in verifying sustainability, Secretary Vilsack and the USDA are promoting a major investment in an essential part of our nation's infrastructure."
