The role of a fiber sourcing standard in the sustainable management of forests in Georgia, United States

Abstract

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Fiber Sourcing (FS) standard fosters responsible fiber procurement by certified wood-consuming mills. This study assesses the effectiveness of the SFI-FS standard in increasing the implementation of forestry best management practices (BMPs) and quantifies its impact by surveying logging companies and certified mills in Georgia, United States. About 55% of the logging companies who responded to our mail survey indicated that the SFI-FS standard had increased the statewide BMP implementation rate. Environmental benefits topped the list of perceived benefits of BMPs, while BMP implementation costs and operational difficulties were the most frequently reported concerns. In 2019, the average BMP implementation rate of loggers trained under the Georgia Master Timber Harvester (GAMTH) program was 6.3% higher than non-GAMTH loggers. Certified mills reported consuming a combined roundwood volume equivalent to about 72% of the total roundwood consumed in Georgia. Moreover, we find that a) logging companies with larger capital investments, and b) certified mills engaging with the loggers in terms of communication of conservation practices, may fare better towards increasing BMP implementation. Our results indicate that the SFI-FS standard positively influences the sustainability of forest resource management on non-certified forestlands in Georgia. Our findings directly relate to the sustainability of 116 million hectares of forestland owned by families across the United States.