Newsletter Stories


Friday, 01 March 2002
Forest Stewards Guild

Partner Profile. The Santa Fe-based Forest Stewards Guild is a forestry organization committed to demonstrating the viability of third-party certification under the FSC system. Membership is comprised of professional foresters and other natural resource managers, landowners, and conservation group employees, currently totaling over 430 individuals.


Guild members are engaged in the management of over 40% of the total certified acreage on private lands in the United States. Twenty-five of the resource managers certified by FSC are Guild members.

The Guild has made significant contributions towards the development and implementation of the FSC program around the country, including:

Standards development: Many Guild members around the country are involved in developing the U.S. regional standards. Guild Board of Directors members Clint Trammel and Ross Morgan, along with Guild Coordinator Steve Harrington, serve on the FSC-U.S. Standards Committee. Steve is also Regional Standards Coordinator for the Southwest.

Assisting resource managers and landowners: The Guild’s Resource Manager Certification Handbook, provides information on FSC certification from the first-hand perspective of foresters who have been through the process. The organization also runs a fellowship program, supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, to help individuals cover the cost of resource manager certification. For individuals and organizations seeking professional forestry assistance, the Guild maintains an online database of members and the services they offer.

Education and training: The Guild is increasing its role as a continuing education resource for certified resource managers. The Guild hosts workshops and tours that provide technical training and information relevant to certification requirements, and updates members on FSC-U.S. activities such as regional standards development.

The Forest Stewards Guild’s annual meeting will be held in Wilsonville, Oregon May 8-11, 2002. Participants will explore the concept of natural forest management, through panel discussions, technical workshops, and guided tours. Tours will include two FSC-certified private forests. For more information on any of the Guild’s programs, call:            877-699-0037       or visit www.foreststewardsguild.org.