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Dovetail Editorial Green Customer Service Dr. Jeff Howe, December 2004 There is an old saying in business that the customer is always right. While this mantra has been around for generations, the implications become more significant in the face of increasingly educated and experienced consumers with very definite expectations and abundant alternative sources. This scenario is playing itself out in the forest products marketplace. Today, the forest products industry faces two major issues: foreign competition from developing countries (e.g. China) and growing concern over "green" products. These issues are linked. The solution to both is to build intimate customer relationships. The companies that are thriving in the face of major challenge are doing so by linking closely with the needs and desires of their clients. So what are the needs and desires of the consuming population today? Well, over the last ten years surveys consistently suggest that almost everyone (95-100%) is concerned about the env ironment. In addition, recent Roper polls indic ate that almost 85% of the population describe themselves as “environmentalists.” To read the editorial, click here. Dovetail Publications: 2004 Year in Review All reports are available online at: http://www.dovetailinc.org/publications.html Sustainable Forestry Forest Certification Systems, Introductions: Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification Shining a Light on the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Phil Guillery This article is a primer on the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and aims to be an aid to those contemplating certification or looking to buy certified products. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification Shining a Light on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Phil Guillery The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is the focus of this article which aims to introduce readers to the standards, governance structure and other basic elements of the SFI system. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Beginner’s Guide to Third-Party Forest Certification Shining a Light on the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) Kathryn Fernholz Previous Dovetail reports on forest certification programs have explored those that are most common in the United States. This report explores the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC), which is an approach to mutual recognition of national forest certification programs and is applied primarily in Europe. The PEFC has three approaches to forest management certification: Individual certification, Group certification, and Regional certification. The PEFC membership includes 28 national forest certification schemes, of which 16 have been reviewed and endorsed, representing more than 130 million acres. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Forest Certification Systems, Comparisons: A Land Manager’s Guide to FSC & SFI To Certify of Not To Certify: Is That A Question? Dr. Jeff Howe This paper provides a discussion of the issues related to selection of a certification system and the difference between FSC and SFI as might be seen from the perspective of a landowner or land manager. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Family Forests, Tree Farm, and FSC Kathryn Fernholz This report explores the challenges and opportunities of family forest certification and the relative strengths and weaknesses of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) programs as they relate to family forestlands. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Responsible Materials: Tree-Free Paper – When Is It Good for the Environment? Dr. Jim Bowyer This paper explores the environmental issues surrounding the use of dedicated crops, in comparison to wood, as an industrial raw material. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Paper from Agricultural Residues Dr. Jim Bowyer The environmental benefits of the use of agricultural residues as a source of fiber in papermaking are dependent on the specific region and situation. Some of of the impacts to consider are disposal, chemical usage in pulping, energy demands, and transportation. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Responsible Consumption: International Forest Sector Issues: Trends in the Global Forest Sector and Implications for Forest Certification Dr. Jim Bowyer Forests and the wood they provide have been and still are the dominant source of fuel and shelter for much of the world, and a keystone in many economies. Wood-based industrial activity is shifting to areas of the globe where certification is virtually non-existent today, a reality that could stall or marginalize the forest certification movement. To read the introduction online and access the full report. Editorials: Keeping Wood Green Dr. Jeff Howe, November 2004 Perhaps the biggest mistake consumers make is to seek change for change's sake, especially in the name of environmentalism. At "green" tradeshows, alternatives for wood are promoted with the sincere assumption that virtually anything is better than products from trees and forests. Yet, blind alignment behind wood-substitutes ignores the many ways in which an undermining of wood’s position in the economy does harm and the many opportunities for wood to be a leader in the green marketplace. To read the commentary online. “The Outlook” is the monthly e-newsletter of Dovetail Partners Inc , a 501c3 non profit corporation. Dovetail Partners is a highly skilled team that collaborates to develop unique concepts, systems, programs and models to foster sustainable forestry and catalyze responsible trade and consumption.
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