Third-party forest certification programs set written Standards for forest management and fiber sourcing that ensure that program enrollees perform forest management sustainably. The MFRC timber harvesting and forest management guidelines are critical to compliance with the two principal forestland certification programs adopted in Minnesota: the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). In addition, the MFRC actively supports the Minnesota Logger Education Program (MLEP), which trains loggers to the guidelines as well as to the requirements of the certification programs.
The amount of Minnesota forestlands under forest certification is significant. More than 4.8 million acres of DNR-administered forestland have earned dual certification under SFI and FSC; more than 1.8 million acres of county forestland are certified under one or both of these programs; and nearly 830,000 acres of private forestland are certified under one or both of these programs.
Further information on forest certification in Minnesota and the certification programs can be found at the following websites:
