Newsletter Stories


Sunday, 15 July 2001
Public Comment Period Opens for Draft Southeast Regional Standards

The Southeast Regional Draft Certification Standards will be available for public comment from July 16th to September 16th.


The Southeast (SE) Regional Standards apply to forest management in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the Southeastern US (MS, AL, GA, FL, SC, and parts of NC, and VA).

Over the last 25 years, the conversion of natural forests to plantations in the SE has increased dramatically, in part as a response to industrial forestry's growing presence in the region. While the place of industrial lands within the FSC certification system is still in question, private forest landowners on small landholdings still supply the bulk of timber produced in the South, and FSC certification will play an important role in ensuring that these forests are well-managed.

The public review period is a critical component of making sure that the FSC regional standards are regionally relevant. The Southeast Working Group welcomes comments on the standards they have developed. To read and comment on the latest draft, visit fscstandards.org or call the coordinator of the Southeast Working Group, Stephen Taranto, at 352-846-2240,staranto@foresttrust.org.

The NE Standards are also currently available for public comment. These standards will be up for review until August 7th on fscstandards.org or via fax or email. The NE Standards Coordinator, Christina Petersen, can be reached at 413-584-4459, petersen@crocker.com

“We want people to come out of the woodwork. We are actively seeking out comments from interested parties, both on local and national levels, so that in the end we know we’ve been thorough in our search for the widest variety of stakeholder comments possible." 
Steve Taranto, SE Working Group Coordinator