The Outlook
October 2005

Welcome  

Just in time for Halloween - we thought we'd try to make your hair stand on end by tackling taboo topics...

- the pros and cons of plantations,
- stakeholder consultation in forest certification assessments, and
- the future of forest certification with a quick reader survey.

Thanks!

- Jeff

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I n  T h i s  I s s u e:

Dovetail Commentary: Beyond Forest Certification
Fast-Growth Tree Plantations for Wood Production - Environmental Threat or a Means of "Saving" Natural Forests?

The Role of Stakeholder Consultation in Forest Certification Assessments: Its Critical Importance and Making it More Effective

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D o v e t a i l   C o m m e n t a r y

Beyond Forest Certification

Subscribers Chance for Input!

For over a dozen years now, certification has played a pivotal role in the development of forest management policy and practices.  More recently, certification has begun to take a foothold in "green" practices within Western Europe and North America.  Inevitably, as the concept has developed breadth and depth, new issues and concerns have arisen, and both expected and unexpected benefits have been acheived.  It is time to evaluate both the accomplishments and concerns of forest certification.

To read more and complete the brief survey, click here

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D o v e t a i l   R e p o r t s


Fast-Growth Tree Plantations for Wood Production - Environmental Threat or a Means of "Saving" Natural Forests?
Dr. Jim Bowyer

With increasing interest worldwide in forest plantations as a source of wood and industrial fiber, concerns about the potential environmental impacts of establishing forest plantations on a large scale are increasing as well.   Specific concerns focus on potential loss of soil fertility and productivity under short harvest rotations, increasing risks of catastrophic disease and insect infestations through cultivation of monocultures, implications of replacing natural forests and associated flora and fauna with less biologically diverse plantations, and risks of introducing exotics.

To read the introduction or download the report, click here.

The Role of Stakeholder Consultation in Forest Certification Assessments: Its Critical Importance and Making it More Effective
Kathryn Fernholz

Over the years, stakeholder consultation has been increasingly included as a requirement in forest certification assessments. Each program differs in its definition of stakeholders and the consultation requirements, but in general forest certification programs include three types of stakeholder consultation.   The first type of stakeholder consultation is the type that has been given the most attention to date – the consultation associated with the development of standards. A second type of stakeholder consultation occurs with management planning and decision making on the part of landowners and land managers seeking certification. The third type of stakeholder consultation is the focus of this report.

This report focuses on the stakeholder consultation process that occurs during the certification assessment itself.    There is a need for a credible, efficient, and effective process for tackling this type of stakeholder consultation.   For a number of reasons the stakeholder consultation part of the certification assessment is one of the most challenging aspects of the certification process but also, arguably, the primary reason forest certification came into existence. 

To read the introduction or download the report, click here.