The Outlook
November 2007

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W e l c o m e

This month we offer a report that explores how forest certification has taken hold in the Great Lakes Region. This region represents 30% of all the certified land in North America and includes more than 300 companies with chain-of-custody certificates. The appendices of the report offer a listing of the certified lands and chain-of-custody participants in the region. The report is part of Dovetail's Certification Program and supported by the Blandin Foundation's Vital Forests/Vital Communities Initiative. We invite you to view previous forest certification reports that have included a look at the various certification programs, pesticide policies, and chain-of-custody certification.

This month we also announce Dovetail's participation in a new project in northern Minnesota that is working to develop an ATV Trail that is environmentally-sensitive, economically-beneficial and communitiy supported.  It is a new project within our Land Use Program, and an exciting opportunity to help address this land management challenge!    Enjoy!

- Jeff

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I n   T h i s   I s s u e:

R e p o r t s:

The Great Lakes Region: A Forest Certification Hub

The results of 10 years of committment

N e w s:

Recreational Trail Planned for Aitkin and Itasca Counties
Kick-Off Meetings Held in November

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D o v e t a i l   R e p o r t s

All reports are available online.

Over the past decade the Great Lakes Region, including the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the Province of Ontario, has become a hub for forest certification leadership and innovation.

In many ways, in order for forest certification to deliver its full potential, a critical mass needs to be reached in the available supply of certified raw materials, participating manufacturers, and customers who preferentially purchase a range of certified products. In measurable ways, this critical mass has been achieved in the Great Lakes Region.  

The three states included in this region, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, represent 29% of all of the certified forestland in the United States, including 50% of the FSC-Certified and 19% of the SFI-Certified lands. Similarly, in Canada, the Province of Ontario alone represents 49% of the FSC-Certified lands and 19% of the SFI-Certified lands in Canada. Taken together, these three states and one province encompass 30% of all certified forestland in North America. 

This report provides information about the certification efforts and resources available in the region as well as the private and public leadership that has made these achievements in certification possible.

http://www.dovetailinc.org/reports/pdf/DovetailRegCertReport1107gc.pdf

Previous Dovetail Reports related to Forest Certification:

• Beginners Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification: Shining a Light on the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Approach
• Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification: Shining a Light on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
• Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification: Shining a Light on the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification: Shining a Light on the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC)
• Beginner’s Guide to the International Organization for Standardization: Fitting ISO with Forest Certification
• A Land Manager's Guide to FSC & SFI: To Certify of No to Certify - Is That A Question?
• How Do the FSC & SFI Standards Address the Forest Service Four Threats?
• The Role of Stakeholder Consultation in Forest Certification Assessments: Its Critical Importance and Making it More Effective
• Forest Certification Auditor Qualifications
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Pesticides Policy: Understanding the Intentions & Proposed Changes
• Combining Organic and FSC Certification of Non-Timber Forest Products: Reducing Costs, Increasing Options
• Forest Certification and Mutual Recognition: What is involved and what does it imply?
• Forest Certification and Ecological Classification Systems: The Potential for Shared Objectives and Benefits
• Forest Certification in the Tropics: Is the glass half full or half empty?
• Certification Updates Family Forest Certification Chain-of-Custody
  Forest Certification Update: The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
• Group Certification: An Opportunity to Engage More Family Forests
• Family Forests, Tree Farm, and FSC
• Innovations in Family Forest Certification: What's Happening and What's Needed
• Chain-of-Custody Certification; What is It, Why Do It, and How?
  
  

To access Dovetail's Forest Certification Reports, click here.

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D o v e t a i l   N e w s


Recreational Trail Planned for Aitkin and Itasca Counties
Kick-Off Meetings Held in November

Aitkin, MN (11/01/07)– Approximately 70 miles of new ATV/OHV recreational trail segments are being planned in North-Central Minnesota. The plan is for the new segments to link existing trails and create a system that totals nearly 500 miles.

“A nice big trail system like this will really give riders a place to go,” says Len Hardy of the All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota, and member of the Oversight Committee for the 70-Mile Trail Project.

The trail system will eventually connect major recreation destinations from the Mille Lacs area, and the Big Sandy Lake area, and continue through to the Grand Rapids area. Communities along the potential trail corridor include McGrath, Lawler, McGregor, Palisade, Hill City, Warba, and more.

“Linking these recreational hot spots just makes sense, “ says Brian Napstad, Aitkin County Board Member, and member of the Oversight Committee.

The project was proposed by the Land Departments in Aitkin and Itasca Counties and is supported with state funding through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“This project is a real collaborative effort,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner. “The partners are working together to design a trail system that is environmentally sensitive, economically beneficial, and community supported.”

To help with the design and development of the project, the project oversight committee includes 19 representatives from the region with diverse interests and backgrounds, including business owners, recreational trail users, and environmental interests.

“The committee is here to make sure that the project gets done right,” says Steve Aysta, Itasca County Recreation Specialist and Committee Member.

The committee has also approved a contract for project coordination services with Dovetail Partners, a non-profit forestry group based in Minneapolis, and Applied Ecological Services, an environmental consulting firm from Prior Lake,

For more information, visit the project website at:

http://www.70MileTrail.net

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