B08_Amendment_0008_Attachment_2_Pre-Bid_RFIs_and_NPS_Responses_6_15_23_Attachment_for_RFI_15_0008.pdf

SFI 2022

STANDARDS AND RULES

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

SECTION 2 SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD

SECTION 3 SFI 2022 FIBER SOURCING STANDARD

SECTION 4 SFI 2022 CHAIN OF CUSTODY STANDARD

SECTION 5 SFI 2022 CERTIFIED SOURCING STANDARD

SECTION 6 RULES FOR USE OF SFI ON-PRODUCT LABELS AND

OFF-PRODUCT MARKS

SECTION 7 GUIDANCE TO SFI 2022 STANDARDS AND RULES

SECTION 8 SFI POLICIES

SECTION 9 SFI STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT AND

INTERPRETATIONS PROCESS

SECTION 10 SFI 2022 AUDIT PROCEDURES AND AUDITOR

QUALIFICATIONS AND ACCREDITATION

SECTION 11 COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC REPORTING

SECTION 12 PUBLIC INQUIRIES AND OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS

SECTION 13 OPTIONAL MODULES

SECTION 14 SFI DEFINITIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

SECTION 1

forests.org

INTRODUCTION

STANDARDS 8

FOUR CERTIFICATION STANDARDS 8

SFI LABELS 9

CONSERVATION 9

SFI AND CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY 9

SFI AND CONSERVATION IMPACT 9

COMMUNITY 10

INDIGENOUS RELATIONSHIPS 10

EDUCATION 10

PROJECT LEARNING TREE 10

PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA 11

SFI 2022 STANDARDS INTRODUCTION | 1/5

It is critical that we work together to ensure the sustainability of our planet. People and organizations are seeking solutions that not just reduce negative impacts but ensure positive contributions to the long-term health of people and the planet. SFI-certified forests and products are powerful tools to achieve shared goals such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, clean water, and economic development.

SFI standards, when leveraged with our three other pillars of work–conservation, community, and education – provide practical, scalable solutions for markets and communities working to pursue this growing commitment to a sustainable planet. When companies, consumers, educators, and community and sustainability leaders collaborate with SFI, they are making active, positive choices to achieve a sustainable future.

STANDARDS

Through SFI standards, more forests are sustainably managed, which means more effort is put into conserving healthy wildlife, providing clean water, and making more sustainable wood, paper, and packaging products available for consumers and companies.

Choosing SFI is a practical choice that helps combat climate change, conserve nature, and increase the number of products in the marketplace that have a positive impact on the planet.

FOUR CERTIFICATION STANDARDS

Getting certified to SFI is one of the best things that organizations can do to support the long-term sustainability of forests and ensure the multitude of benefits that forests provide for future generations.

SFI’s standards provide an important solution to the long-term sustainability of our forests. With more than 370+ million acres/150+ million hectares certified by the end of 2021 and tens of millions more positively influenced through fiber sourcing, SFI has the scale and growth trajectory to ensure positive, forest-based outcomes in the marketplace.

• The SFI Forest Management Standard is the largest single forest management certification standard in the world. Among its requirements are measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species, and forests with exceptional conservation value.

• The SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard is designed for manufacturers that source from a variety of ownerships or that don’t own forestland. It distinguishes SFI from all other forest certification organizations in that it governs how Certified Organizations procure fiber from non certified forest landowners in a responsible way, including avoidance of controversial sources in the supply chain.

• The SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard is an accounting system that tracks forest fiber content through production and manufacturing to the end product. This standard also has measures to avoid controversial sources in the supply chain.

• The SFI Certified Sourcing Standard contains the requirements for Certified Organizations to use the SFI-certified sourcing claim and label. This standard also has measures to avoid controversial sources in the supply chain.

The SFI Standards require third-party independent certification audits by competent and accredited certification bodies for all four standards. All certification bodies must be accredited by a member of the International Accreditation Forum — ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) or the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

WHY SFI MATTERS

SFI’S MISSION is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.

SFI’S VISION is a world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests.

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SFI LABELS

Once certified, organizations can apply to use SFI on-product labels, which are globally recognized and show customers that products are responsibly sourced. Studies have shown that 52% of consumers are aware of the SFI label and 90% of those, trust it.

The SFI on-product labels provide a tool that allows producers to educate the market and consumers to make responsible purchasing decisions. SFI sourcing solutions, from certification through to the SFI label, provide choices that help support a circular economy, green building, resource renewability, and contribute to a sustainable future.

SFI Chain-of-Custody labels tell the consumer that the fiber in the product is from sustainably managed SFI-certified forests and/or that it contains recycled materials. The SFI-certified Sourcing label does not make claims about certified forest content. Rather, it tells the consumer that the fiber in the product was purchased from responsibility managed forestlands. (See a description of all the SFI on-product labels).

CONSERVATION

There is a growing awareness that if we want to grapple with climate change, water quality, and species loss, taking good care of our forests is of fundamental importance. Unique among certification standards, SFI mandates innovative and impactful conservation research that builds knowledge and improves forest outcomes. We provide a value-added solution for customers of forest products who want to know that the companies they source from are contributing to conservation results that improve the health of the planet.

SFI’s conservation work is inextricably linked with our standards and provides leadership, expertise, and resources in order to measure and scale the conservation outcomes on forestlands influenced by those standards. SFI’s conservation approach helps provide solutions to sustainability challenges such as threatened and endangered species, migratory bird decline, forest health, and climate change. The SFI Conservation Impact Project focuses on quantifying the biodiversity maintained and recovered, the water purified, and carbon sequestered on SFI-certified forestlands, and those affected by SFI’s sustainable sourcing. This work is guided by a network of conservation leaders and researchers to ensure credibility and transparency. The work is supported by SFI Conservation Grants, which support independent researchers seeking to improve understanding of the relationship between forest management and important conservation outcomes.

SFI AND CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY

Climate change is consistently identified as a significant threat to the environment, business, and our collective way of life. Forests are universally cited as an essential nature-based solution because forests and forest products provide a significant opportunity to counter the impacts of climate change by sequestering and storing carbon.

Through our standards, our conservation impact work, our environmental education, and our extensive network, SFI has the scale to make a difference on climate change. Certified Organizations act as a driving force in addressing climate change impacts through sound, science-based natural resource management. SFI is in a strong position to elevate the role of sustainable forests in addressing climate change due to our global reach and our focus on communicating the important role forests play in relation to critical global issues.

SFI AND CONSERVATION IMPACT

The motivations to measure conservation values are diverse: brand owners seek to understand the impact of their raw materials sourcing; conservation stakeholders can engage more effectively if they understand the values that certification can provide; and improved tracking will better equip SFI to provide sustainability related metrics, contribute meaningfully to conservation outcomes, and to ensure continual improvement.

For guidance on this work, SFI has convened a diverse group of scientists, drawn from academia, public agencies, the non-profit conservation community, Certified Organizations and SFI leadership. The Conservation Impact Sounding Board helps ensure transparency and provides direct input into conservation project development. The Sounding Board relies on an open process that helps shape this important work and promotes interaction between project leaders and experts from a diverse variety of backgrounds.

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COMMUNITY

Communities rely on forests for jobs and economic development, recreational benefits, and human health. These links between people and forests have always been important but are even more relevant in an increasingly connected and changing world. Our work is focused on nurturing a positive relationship between people who live near and work in forests, and the goals of a sustainable marketplace and healthy forests.

SFI works to promote the value of sustainable forests and build meaningful relationships in the communities where we operate. Our network helps drive our success by facilitating forest-focused collaborations that make an impact. Through our network we engage collaboratively on issues such as logger training, green career pathways, and Indigenous relations.

Thirty-four SFI Implementation Committees, that engage at the state, provincial or regional level work with local, forestry, and professional associations, universities, government agencies, landowner groups, conservation groups, and many others to promote SFI standards as a means to broaden the practice of responsible forestry and achieve on-the-ground progress. SFI is committed to building and promoting forest-focused collaborations rooted in recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge. Through networks and partnerships, we work across diverse communities, from urban to rural, to advance awareness of the social and health benefits of sustainable forests. SFI Community Grants promotes collaboration within the SFI network to support local communities’ understanding of the value and benefits of sustainably managed forests.

INDIGENOUS RELATIONSHIPS

At SFI we respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and believe our shared quality of life improves when forests are sustainably managed for current and future generations. These shared values allow for a strong and multi-faceted link between SFI and Indigenous communities across Canada and the U.S. SFI partners with leading organizations like the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business and Habitat for Humanity Canada’s Indigenous Housing Partnership.

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard is aligned with Indigenous values, including rights, knowledge, and environmental considerations. The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard recognizes and integrates the principles outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their territories. In adopting the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard, Certified Organizations commit to building meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples, grounded in respect for their unique rights, traditional knowledge, representative institutions, and distinctive relationships with the forest. This includes training for personnel and contractors so that Certified Organizations are competent to fulfill their responsibilities with respect to Indigenous Peoples rights, as they apply within each Certified Organization’s operating jurisdiction and tenure type.

EDUCATION

Building a next generation of leadership that will take responsibility for solving environmental challenges and market needs is one of the best investments a society can make. Project Learning Tree and Project Learning Tree Canada are initiatives of SFI. They advance environmental literacy, stewardship, and career pathways using trees and forests as windows on the world.

PROJECT LEARNING TREE

Project Learning Tree (PLT), SFI’s environmental education program, educates teachers, community leaders, and youth about forests and the environment. PLT believes that through environmental education we can develop a new generation of leaders and environmental stewards prepared with the knowledge and skills to address complex environmental issues. Environmental education grows the ability of our youth to think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions. It encourages youth to take action to keep our natural world healthy, our economies productive, and our communities prosperous and vibrant.

Since its inception, PLT has engaged in thousands of partnerships, including the North American Association of Environmental Education, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US Bureau of Land Management, USDA Forest Service and the Corporation for National and Community Service. PLT operates programs that are locally relevant, impactful, and have measurable multiplier effects and SFI is always looking for new ways to spread the reach of PLT through strategic partnerships and joint initiatives.

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PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA

PLT Canada believes in a society that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests and the great outdoors. PLT Canada is committed to using the outdoors to engage youth in learning about the world around them — in rural, Indigenous, and urban communities — and advancing environmental literacy, stewardship, and career pathways using trees and forests as windows on the world.

Since 2018, PLT Canada has placed youth in over 3,000 Green Jobs and supported over 200 employers with wage matching across the country. These young people have gained valuable experience that will help them pursue careers as foresters, wildlife biologists, Indigenous knowledge coordinators, hydrologists, park rangers, and much more. Notably, in a traditionally male-dominated sector, PLT Canada has achieved gender balance in job placements. PLT Canada provides important support to Indigenous youth and others facing employment barriers.

Project Learning Tree Canada offers a 50% wage match to employers hiring youth into forest, conservation, and parks jobs. The jobs inspire leadership in forest stewardship, foster a passion for science-based research and education, and help youth gain skills and experience so they can transition successfully into future job markets. Green Jobs are considered positions that contribute positively to increasing sustainability in the forest, conservation, and parks sectors.

SFI 2022 STANDARDS INTRODUCTION | 5/5

SFI 2022 FOREST

MANAGEMENT STANDARD

SECTION 2

SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD

1. GENERAL 2

1.1 SCOPE 2

1.2 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS 2

1.3 REFERENCES 2

1.4 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD PRINCIPLES 2

1.5 SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD OBJECTIVES 4

1.6 SFI 2022 FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS 5

OBJECTIVE 1. FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING 5

OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY 7

OBJECTIVE 3. PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF WATER RESOURCES 8

OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 8

OBJECTIVE 5. MANAGEMENT OF VISUAL QUALITY AND RECREATIONAL BENEFITS 9

OBJECTIVE 6. PROTECTION OF SPECIAL SITES 10

OBJECTIVE 7. EFFICIENT USE OF FIBER RESOURCES 10

OBJECTIVE 8. RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS 10

OBJECTIVE 9. CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY 11

OBJECTIVE 10. FIRE RESILIENCE AND AWARENESS 12

OBJECTIVE 11. LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE 12

OBJECTIVE 12. FORESTRY RESEARCH, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 13

OBJECTIVE 13. TRAINING AND EDUCATION 13

OBJECTIVE 14. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND LANDOWNER OUTREACH 14

OBJECTIVE 15: PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 15

OBJECTIVE 16. COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC REPORTING 15

OBJECTIVE 17. MANAGEMENT REVIEW AND CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT 16

SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD | 1/16

1.1 SCOPE

What the Forest Management Standard Does

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard promotes sustainable forestry based on 13 Principles, 17 Objectives, 41 Performance Measures and 114

Indicators. These requirements include measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value.

What the Forest Management Standard Covers

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard applies to any Certified Organization that owns or has management authority for forestlands.

Geographic Application of the Forest Management Standard

The SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard applies to organizations in the United States and Canada.

1.2 ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Certified Organizations with fiber sourcing programs (acquisition of roundwood and field-manufactured or primary-mill residual chips, pulp, and veneer to support a forest products facility), must also conform to the SFI 2022 Fiber Sourcing Standard.

Use of the SFI On-Product labels and claims shall follow Section 6 — Rules for Use of SFI On-Product Labels and Off-Product Marks as well as ISO

14020:2000.

1.3 REFERENCES

This standard incorporates, by dated or undated reference, provisions from other publications. These normative and informative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the publications are listed hereafter. For dated and undated references, the latest edition of the publication applies.

Normative References

i. ISO/IEC 17021:2015 — Conformity Assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems

ii. ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 Standardization and related activities — General vocabulary

iii. Section 8 — SFI Policies

iv. Section 10 — SFI 2022 Audit Procedures and Auditor Qualifications and Accreditation

v. Section 11 — Communications and Public Reporting

vi. Section 14 — SFI Definitions

vii. Interpretations for the Requirements of the SFI 2022 Standards and Rules

For the purposes of this standard, the relevant definitions given in ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004 apply, together with the definitions in the SFI Definitions

(Section 14).

Informative References

i. ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems — Specification with guidance for use

ii. PEFC ST 1003:2018 Sustainable Forest Management Requirements, November 28, 2018

iii. PEFC ST 1002:2018 Group Forest Management Certification, November 28, 2018

iv. Section 7 — Guidance to SFI 2022 Standards

v. Section 9 — SFI Standards Development and Interpretations Process

vi. Section 12 — Public Inquiries and Official Complaints

vii. Section 13 — Optional Modules

1.4 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD PRINCIPLES

Certified Organizations believe forest landowners have an important stewardship responsibility and a commitment to society, and they recognize the importance of maintaining viable commercial, family forest, and conservation forest land bases. They support sustainable forestry on forestland they manage and promote it on other lands. They support efforts to safeguard private property rights, and to help all private landowners manage their forestland sustainably. In keeping with this responsibility, Certified Organizations shall have a written policy (or policies) to implement and achieve the following principles:

1. GENERAL

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1. Sustainable Forestry

To practice sustainable forestry means meeting the needs of the present while promoting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by practicing a land stewardship ethic that integrates reforestation and the managing, growing, nurturing and harvesting of trees for useful products, and for the provision of ecosystem services such as the conservation of soil, air and water quality and quantity, climate change adaptation and mitigation, biological diversity, wildlife and aquatic habitats, recreation and aesthetics.

2. Forest Productivity and Health

To provide for regeneration after harvest, maintain the health and productive capacity of the forest land base, and to protect and maintain long-term soil health and productivity. In addition, to protect forests from economically, environmentally or socially undesirable impacts of wildfire, pests, diseases, invasive species and other damaging agents and thus maintain and improve long-term forest health and productivity.

3. Protection of Water Resources

To protect and maintain the water quality and quantity of water bodies and riparian areas, and to conform with forestry best management practices to protect water quality, to meet the needs of both human communities and ecological systems.

4. Protection of Biological Diversity

To manage forests in ways that protect and promote biological diversity, including animal and plant species, wildlife habitats, ecologically and culturally important species, threatened and endangered species (i.e., Forest with Exceptional Conservation Values) and native forest cover types at multiple scales.

5. Aesthetics and Recreation

To manage the visual impacts of forest operations, and to provide recreational opportunities for the public.

6. Protection of Special Sites To manage lands that are geologically or culturally important in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

7. Legal Compliance

To comply with applicable federal, provincial, state, and local forestry and related environmental laws, statutes, and regulations.

8. Research

To support advances in sustainable forest management through research, science, and technology.

9. Training and Education

To improve the practice of sustainable forestry through training and education programs.

10. Community Involvement and Social Responsibility, and Respect for Indigenous Rights

To broaden the practice of sustainable forestry on all lands through community involvement, socially responsible practices, and through recognition and respect of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional forest-related knowledge.

11. Transparency

To broaden the understanding of forest certification to the Forest Management Standard by documenting certification audits and making the findings publicly available.

12. Continual Improvement To continually improve the practice of forest management, and to monitor, measure and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.

13. Responsible Fiber Sourcing To use and promote sustainable forestry across a diversity of ownership and management types in the United States and Canada that is both scientifically credible and socially, environmentally, and economically responsible and to avoid sourcing from controversial sources both domestically and internationally.

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1.5 SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD OBJECTIVES

A Summary of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard Objectives follows:

Objective 1. Forest Management Planning To ensure forest management plans include long-term sustainable harvest levels and measures to avoid forest conversion or afforestation of ecologically important areas.

Why it Matters: Ensures that we grow more trees than we harvest, guaranteeing that forests will last for future generations.

Objective 2. Forest Health and Productivity To ensure long-term forest productivity and conservation of forest resources through prompt reforestation, afforestation, deploying integrated pest management strategies, minimized chemical use, soil conservation, and protecting forests from damaging agents.

Why it Matters: Ensures that forests remain healthy and resilient which means better forest productivity including providing a reliable and renewable source of sustainably managed fiber for consumer products.

Objective 3. Protection and Maintenance of Water Resources To protect the water quality and water quantity of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and other water bodies.

Why it Matters: Protecting water quality and quantity helps provide safe and abundant drinking water for all.

Objective 4. Conservation of Biological Diversity To maintain or advance the conservation of biological diversity at the stand- and landscape-level and across a diversity of forest and vegetation cover types and successional stages including the conservation of forest plants and animals, aquatic species, threatened and endangered species, Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, old-growth forests and ecologically important sites.

Why it Matters: Ensures that forests are managed to protect wildlife habitat and conserve biological diversity.

Objective 5. Management of Visual Quality and Recreational Benefits To manage the visual impact of forest operations and provide recreational opportunities for the public.

Why it Matters: Ensures that the public can continue to enjoy the aesthetic values and recreation opportunities of forests.

Objective 6. Protection of Special Sites To manage lands that are geologically or culturally important in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

Why it Matters: Protects special sites that have important geological or cultural values.

Objective 7. Efficient Use of Fiber Resources To minimize waste and ensure the efficient use of fiber resources.

Why it Matters: Ensures the economic well-being of communities that live and work near forests.

Objective 8. Recognize and Respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights To recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge.

Why it Matters: Recognizing and respecting the Indigenous Peoples’ rights supports relationship building and shared benefits from sustainably managed forests.

Objective 9: Climate Smart Forestry To ensure forest management activities address climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

Why it Matters: Ensures that SFI-certified forests make an important contribution to addressing the effects of climate change.

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Objective 10. Fire Resilience and Awareness To limit susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire and to raise community awareness of fire benefits, risks, and minimization measures.

Why it Matters: Ensures that forests are managed proactively relative to fire risk in the face of climate change, so that they can continue to store carbon, provide habitat for wildlife, and are a source of clean air and water while protecting public safety and human health.

Objective 11. Legal and Regulatory Compliance To comply with all applicable laws and regulations including, international, federal, provincial, state, and local.

Why it Matters: Compliance with all laws ensures the protection of the environmental and social values of forests.

Objective 12. Forestry Research, Science and Technology To invest in research, science and technology, upon which sustainable forest management decisions are based.

Why it Matters: Forest research means healthier, more productive forests.

Objective 13. Training and Education To improve the implementation of sustainable forestry through appropriate training and education programs.

Why it Matters: Training and educating foresters means forest management plans are more accurately implemented, ensuring the well-being of our forests.

Objective 14. Community Involvement and Landowner Outreach To broaden the practice of sustainable forestry through public outreach, education, and involvement, and to support the efforts of SFI Implementation Committees.

Why it Matters: Outreach and education improves the public’s understanding of how important sustainable forestry is to local and global issues.

Objective 15. Public Land Management Responsibilities To participate and implement sustainable forest management on public lands.

Why it Matters: Protects the environmental, social, and economic values of public forests.

Objective 16. Communications and Public Reporting To increase transparency and to annually report progress on conformance with the SFI Forest Management Standard.

Why it Matters: Reporting the results of third-party audits increases the public’s understanding of forest certification.

Objective 17. Management Review and Continual Improvement To promote continual improvement in the practice of sustainable forestry by conducting a management review and monitoring performance.

Why it Matters: Encourages continual improvement of sustainable forestry practices, a cornerstone of sustainable forestry.

1.6 SFI 2022 FOREST LAND MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Objective 1. Forest Management Planning To ensure forest management plans include long-term sustainable harvest levels and measures to avoid forest conversion or afforestation of ecologically important areas.

Performance Measure 1.1. Certified Organizations shall ensure that forest management plans include long-term harvest levels that are sustainable and consistent with appropriate growth-and-yield models.

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Indicators:

1. Forest management planning at a level appropriate to the size and scale of the operation, including:

a. a long-term resources analysis;

b. a periodic or ongoing forest inventory;

c. a land classification system;

d. biodiversity at landscape scales;

e. soils inventory and maps, where available;

f. access to and use of growth-and-yield modeling capabilities;

g. up-to-date maps or a geographic information system (GIS);

h. recommended sustainable harvest levels for areas available for harvest; and

i. consideration of non-timber issues such as recreation, tourism, pilot projects and economic incentive programs to promote water protection, carbon storage, bioenergy feedstock production, or biological diversity conservation, or to address climate-induced ecosystem change.

2. Documented current harvest trends fall within long-term sustainable levels identified in the forest management plan.

3. A forest inventory system and a method to calculate growth and yield is used to determine annual and/or periodic harvest levels.

4. Periodic updates of forest inventory and recalculation of planned harvests to account for changes in growth due to productivity increases or decreases, including but not limited to: improved data, long-term drought, fertilization, climate change, changes in forest land ownership and tenure, or forest health.

5. Documentation of forest management (such as: planting, fertilization and thinning) consistent with assumptions in harvest plans.

6. Assessment of the local or regional social, environmental, and economic effects of forest management operations contained in the forest management plan.

Performance Measure 1.2. Certified Organizations shall not convert one forest cover type to another forest cover type unless an assessment has been conducted to determine ecological impacts and provide appropriate justification.

Indicators:

1. Certified Organizations shall not convert one forest cover type to another forest cover type, unless the conversion:

a. does not convert native forest cover types that are rare, ecologically important, or that put any native forest cover types at risk of becoming rare;

and

b. does not create significant adverse impacts on Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, old growth forests, forest critical to threatened and endangered species, or special sites or ecologically important non-forest eco-systems; and

c. includes objectives for long-term outcomes that support maintaining native forest cover types and ecological function; and

d. is in compliance with relevant national and regional policy and legislation related to land use and forest management.

2. A proposed conversion deemed appropriate per 1.2.1, and which has considered impacts relative to scale, may be implemented subject to a landscape assessment that considers:

a. a response to address forest health issues such as pests or pathogens, or proactive consideration of anticipated impacts of fire or climate change, reforestation challenges, or riparian protection needs, provided that such justification is supported by the best scientific information.

b. site productivity, economics, and/or stand quality.

c. ecological impacts of the conversion at the site and landscape scale, as well as consideration for any appropriate mitigation measures; and

d. appropriate consultation with local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders who could be affected by such activities.

Performance Measure 1.3. Certified Organizations shall not have within the scope of their certification to this SFI Standard, forest lands that have been converted to non-forest land use.

Indicator:

1. Forest lands converted to other land uses shall not be certified to this SFI standard. This does not apply to forest lands used for forest and wildlife management such as wildlife food plots or infrastructure such as forest roads, log processing areas, trails, etc.

Performance Measure 1.4. Certified Organizations shall not afforest in locations which negatively impact ecologically important natural communities, threatened and endangered species, or native natural communities which could be at risk of becoming rare.

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Indicator:

1. Any afforestation activity must include an evaluation of the proposed site to determine the presence of:

a. ecologically important natural communities, or

b. threatened and endangered species, or

c. native natural communities that could be at risk of becoming rare.

2. Afforestation shall not occur on that location if the evaluation determines a negative impact to:

a. ecologically important natural communities, or

b. threatened and endangered species, or

c. native natural communities which could be at risk of becoming rare.

Objective 2. Forest Health and Productivity To ensure long-term forest productivity, forest health and conservation of forest resources through prompt reforestation, afforestation, deploying integrated pest management strategies, minimized chemical use, soil conservation, and protecting forests from damaging agents.

Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

Indicators:

1. Documented reforestation plans, including designation of all harvest areas for either natural, planted, or direct seeded regeneration and prompt reforestation, unless delayed for site-specific environmental or forest health considerations or legal requirements, through planting within two years or two planting seasons, or by planned natural regeneration methods within five years.

2. Clear criteria to judge adequate regeneration and appropriate actions to correct understocked areas and achieve acceptable species composition and stocking rates for planting, direct seeding, and natural regeneration.

3. Plantings of native or non-invasive naturalized tree species are preferred. In exceptional circumstances where exotic tree species are being planted, they should not increase risk to native ecosystems.

4. Protection of desirable or planned advanced natural regeneration during harvest.

Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

Indicators:

1. Pest management shall be implemented through the use of integrated pest management.

2. Minimized chemical use required to achieve management objectives.

3. Use of least-toxic and narrowest-spectrum pesticides necessary to achieve management objectives.

4. Use of pesticides registered for the intended use and applied in accordance with label requirements.

5. The World Health Organization (WHO) type 1A and 1B pesticides shall be prohibited, except where no other viable alternative is available.

6. Use of pesticides banned under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001) shall be prohibited.

7. Supervision of forest chemical applications by state- or provincially trained or certified applicators.

8. Use of management practices appropriate to the situation, such as:

a. notification of adjoining landowners or nearby residents concerning applications and chemicals used;

b. appropriate multilingual signs or oral warnings;

c. control of public road access during and immediately after applications;

d. designation of streamside and other needed buffer strips;

e. use of positive shutoff and minimal-drift spray valves;

f. aerial application of forest chemicals parallel to buffer zones to limit drift;

g. monitoring of water quality or safeguards to ensure proper equipment use and protection of streams, lakes, and other water bodies;

h. appropriate transportation and storage of chemicals;

i. use of spill response plans and chemical spill kits;

j. filing of required state or provincial reports; and/or

k. use of methods to ensure protection of threatened and endangered species.

Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

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1. Process to identify soils vulnerable to compaction, and use of appropriate methods, including the use of soil maps where available, to avoid excessive soil disturbance.

2. Use of erosion control measures to minimize the loss of soil and impacts to site productivity.

3. Post-harvest conditions conducive to maintaining site productivity (such as: retained down woody debris and minimized skid trails).

4. Retention of vigorous trees during partial harvesting, consistent with scientific silvicultural standards for the area.

5. Practices that address harvesting and site preparation to protect soil productivity and soil health.

6. Road construction, skidding layout, and harvest plans designed to minimize impacts to soil productivity and soil health.

Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

Indicators:

1. Program to protect forests from damaging agents.

2. Management to promote healthy and productive forest conditions to reduce susceptibility to damaging agents.

3. Participation in, and support of, fire and pest prevention and control programs.

Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

Indicator:

1. Program for appropriate research, testing, evaluation, and deployment of improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings.

Objective 3. Protection and Maintenance of Water Resources To protect the water quality and water quantity of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and other water bodies.

Performance Measure 3.1. Certified Organizations shall meet or exceed all applicable federal, provincial, state and local water quality laws and meet or exceed best management practices.

Indicators:

1. Program to implement federal, state, or provincial water quality best management practices during all phases of management activities.

2. Contract provisions that specify conformance to best management practices.

3. Monitoring of overall best management practices implementation.

Performance Measure 3.2. Certified Organizations shall implement water, wetland, and riparian protection programs based on climate, soil type, terrain, vegetation, ecological function, harvesting system, state best management practices (BMPs), provincial guidelines and other applicable factors.

Indicators:

1. Program addressing management and protection of water quality of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, other water bodies and riparian areas during all phases of management.

2. Program to protect water quantity during all phases of management.

3. Programs that address wet-weather events in order to maintain water quality such as: forest inventory systems, identification of wet-weather tracts and definitions of acceptable operating conditions.

Objective 4. Conservation of Biological Diversity To maintain or advance the conservation of biological diversity at the stand- and landscape-level and across a diversity of forest and vegetation cover types and successional stages including the conservation of forest plants and animals, aquatic species, threatened and endangered species, Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, old-growth forests, and ecologically important sites.

Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

Indicators:

1. Program to incorporate the conservation of biological diversity, including native species, wildlife habitats and ecological community types at stand and landscape levels, through the use of best scientific information including the incorporation of research results.

2. Development of criteria and implementation of practices, as guided by regionally based best scientific information, to retain stand-level wildlife habitat elements such as snags, stumps, mast trees, down woody debris, den trees and nest trees.

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3. Program to individually and/or through cooperative efforts such as SFI Implementation Committees, support diversity of native forest cover types and age or size classes that enhance biological diversity, by incorporating the results of analysis of documented diversity at landscape and ownership/ tenure levels, to ensure the contribution of the managed area to the diversity of conditions that promote biodiversity.

4. Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts such as SFI Implementation Committees, participate in or incorporate the results of credible, relevant state, provincial, or regional conservation planning and priority-setting efforts to conserve biological diversity and incorporate the results of these efforts in forest management planning. Credible priority-setting efforts include state and provincial wildlife action plans, state forest action plans, relevant habitat conservation plans, provincial wildlife recovery plans, Indigenous planning processes or ecoregional plans.

5. Program to address conservation of ecologically important species and natural communities.

6. Identification and protection of non-forested wetlands, including bogs, peatlands, fens and marshes, and vernal pools that are ecologically important.

7. Participation in programs and demonstration of activities as appropriate to limit the introduction, spread and impact of invasive species that directly threaten or are likely to threaten native plant and animal communities.

8. Consider the role of natural disturbances, including opening size, structural retention, the use of prescribed or natural fire where appropriate, and forest health threats in relation to biological diversity when developing forest management plans.

Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

Indicators:

1. Program to protect threatened and endangered species.

2. Program to locate and protect known sites of flora and fauna associated with viable occurrences of critically imperiled and imperiled species and ecological communities, defined as Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value. Programs for protection may be developed independently and/ or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees and may include Certified Organization managers, cooperation with other stakeholders, or use of easements, conservation land sales, exchanges, or other conservation strategies.

3. Support of and participation in programs for the conservation of old-growth forests in the region of ownership or forest tenure.

Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

Indicators:

1. Use of information such as existing NatureServe or natural heritage data or expert advice in identifying or selecting ecologically important sites for protection.

2. Appropriate mapping, cataloging and management of identified ecologically important sites.

Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

Indicators:

1. Collection of information on Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value and other biodiversity-related data through forest inventory processes, mapping, or participation in external programs, such as NatureServe, state or provincial heritage programs, or other reputable organizations. Such participation may include providing non-proprietary scientific information, time, and assistance by staff, or in-kind or direct financial support.

2. A program to incorporate data collected, research results and field applications of biodiversity and ecosystem research into forest management decisions.

3. Individually or collaboratively participate in or support research that demonstrates the conservation outcomes resulting from management strategies.

Objective 5. Management of Visual Quality and Recreational Benefits.

To manage the visual impact of forest operations and provide recreational opportunities for the public.

Performance Measure 5.1. Certified Organizations shall manage the impact of harvesting on visual quality.

Indicators:

1. Program to address visual quality management.

2. Incorporation of aesthetic considerations in harvesting, road, landing design and management, and other management activities where visual impacts are a concern.

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Performance Measure 5.2. Certified Organizations shall manage the size, shape, and placement of clearcut harvests.

1. Average size of clearcut harvest areas does not exceed 120 acres (50 hectares), except when necessary to meet regulatory requirements, achieve ecological objectives or to respond to forest health emergencies or other natural catastrophes.

2. Documentation through internal records of clearcut size and the process for calculating average size.

Performance Measure 5.3. Certified Organizations shall adopt a green-up requirement or alternative methods that provide for visual quality.

Indicators:

1. Program implementing the green-up requirement or alternative methods.

2. Harvest area tracking system to demonstrate conformance with the green-up requirement or alternative methods.

3. Trees in clearcut harvest areas are at least three years old or five feet (1.5 meters) high at the desired level of stocking before adjacent areas are clearcut, or as appropriate to address operational and economic considerations, alternative methods to reach the performance measure are utilized by the Certified Organization.

Performance Measure 5.4. Certified Organizations shall support and promote recreational opportunities for the public.

1. Provide recreational opportunities for the public, where consistent with forest management objectives.

Objective 6. Protection of Special Sites.

To manage lands that are geologically or culturally important in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

Performance Measure 6.1. Certified Organizations shall have a program to identify special sites and manage and protect them in a manner appropriate for their unique features.

Indicators:

1. Use of information such as existing natural heritage data, expert advice or stakeholder consultation, or consultation with Indigenous Peoples in identifying or selecting special sites for protection.

2. Appropriate mapping, cataloging and management of identified special sites.

Objective 7. Efficient Use of Fiber Resources.

To minimize waste and ensure the efficient use of fiber resources.

Performance Measure 7.1. Certified Organizations shall employ appropriate forest harvesting technology and in-woods manufacturing processes to minimize waste and ensure efficient utilization of forest resources where consistent with other SFI Standard objectives.

Indicator:

1. Program or monitoring system to ensure efficient utilization, using provisions such as:

a. management of harvest residue (such as slash, limbs, tops) considers economic, social and environmental factors (such as organic and nutrient value to future forests and the potential of increased fuels build-up) and other utilization needs;

b. training or incentives to encourage loggers to enhance utilization;

c. exploration of markets for underutilized species and low-grade wood and alternative markets (such as bioenergy markets); or

d. periodic inspections and reports noting utilization and product separation.

Objective 8. Recognize and Respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights.

To recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and traditional knowledge.

Performance Measure 8.1. Certified Organizations shall recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

Indicators:

1. Certified Organizations shall develop and implement a written policy acknowledging a commitment to recognize and respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples. This policy shall provide reference to a program that includes:

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a. use of available resources and information to identify the Indigenous Peoples whose rights may be affected by the Certified Organization’s forest management activities.

b. recognition of the established framework of legal, customary, and traditional rights such as outlined in:

i. the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

ii. federal, provincial, and state laws and regulations;

iii. treaties, agreements or other constructive arrangements among governments and Indigenous Peoples.

c. appropriate training of personnel and contractors so that…