The Providential Gardener scans the Providence Journal regularly for their reporting on "what's growing on" in Rhode Island and posts the article titles, with occasional comment. You can find all of these posts under the category PROJO DIGEST. While this is derivative rather than original research, there's no point in reinventing the wheel, and the Providence Journal is reporting on many environmental issues the public needs investigated. When I can, I'm adding some further background on news stories reported elsewhere so Rhode Islanders will be even better informed.
This news brief [scan down the page] was in the Projo on June 20, 2007, and that's how I came to read about the "chain of custody certification" program of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). According to the FSC,
Chain-of-custodý is the path taken by raw materials from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution.
The first U.S. engraving company to earn this certification is just over the border: Artcraft Company is located in North Attleboro, MA. This company also has earned the Rainforest Alliance's SmartWood certification program. There are four Smartwood certifications. These function for wood products somewhat like fair trade coffee certification does, assuring consumers that products have been tracked from their origins to retail outlets and have met the criteria the certifications specify. A Providence resident, Vincent Standley, wrote a 2005 article at the National Geographic Traveler comparing coffee and wood certification programs: " Where Fair Trade Certification works to ensure fair wages and labor practices, Rainforest Alliance Certification works to transform land-use and business practices as well as consumer choices to protect ecosystems."
Are any Rhode Island companies seeking Smartwood certifications? And what about Rhode Island forests and their products? As with most issues, there is substantial background to master. Blog posts can hardly scratch the surface. But here are a few starting points for further research if you are interested in seeing such programs develop in Rhode Island:
- Heidi Hausman wrote her 2003 senior thesis at Brown on this topic. See her summary slides, "The Future of Certification for Rhode Island Forests and Forest Products."
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative is another certification program Heidi Hausman compares with Smartwood
- Evaluation and Assessment of Sustainable Forestry Initiative
- Analysis: Sustainable Forestry Initiative.... ~ This report appears to be critical - website is named "dontbuysfi.com"
Lots of knotty issues here. Forestry folks, RI Tree Council members, and companies involved in wood products need to understand all the aspects of such certifications. Many of them probably already do. Contact the DEM Forestry Division and ask your questions about our state forests.
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