Westwind Forest Stewardship Inc. has been certified for meeting international standards for good forest management. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) annouced in a press release on Mar. 25 that the 2.1 million acres of public forest land from Georgian Bay to Algonquin Park that is managed by Westwind has been certified. FSC certification is granted to forestlands meeting the strictest environmental standards for sustainable management. Westwind had to meet over 100 criteria to verify that the forests are being managed.
To carry the FSC label, a suppliers' wood must meet the FSC's high standards for environmental protection and social responsibility.
Wood that originates from FSC land can carry the FSC label, with products ranging from mousetraps to floors and doors.
"This is also a significant certification for the FSC in North America," said Hank Cauley, FSC US executive director. "This represents the largest public land certification by the FSC in Canada, and ranks high on the list of public lands certification in North America."
The FSC supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. The recent addition of the Ontario land boosts North American FSC-certified land from 9 million to 11.1 million acres.
