Our Green Promise
SFI certified since 2002
The SFI Standard promotes sustainable forest management in North America through 14 core principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value. There are also 20 objectives, 39 performance measures and 114 indicators, developed by professional foresters, conservationists, scientists and others.
To be certified, forest operations must be third-party audited to the standard's requirements by independent, objective and accredited certification bodies. The SFI program is also committed to continuously improve responsible forest management.
SFI program participants must meet or exceed applicable water quality laws and regulations, with measures to manage and protect water bodies and riparian zones on certified lands. They must continually evaluate habitat and biodiversity impacts from forest activities - this leads to improved habitat quality, and protection of imperiled or critically imperiled species.
SFI program participants must comply with the comprehensive forestry laws that apply to them in the United States and Canada. They must practice responsible forestry on their certified lands, as well as promote best management practices, awareness and training if they procure wood from lands in North America that are not certified.
The SFI program is committed to improving the practice of forestry on all forestlands in North America, whether boreal forests or plantation forests, whether naturally regenerated or planted. Its philosophy is that healthy, productive forests yield immense environmental, social and economic benefits, and mitigate the impacts of climate change by absorbing and storing carbon in trees, soil and biomass. Forestland being converted to other uses could not be certified to the SFI Standard because it would not meet the requirement calling for prompt reforestation after the final harvest.
To learn more about the SFI program, visit their website at www.sfiprogram.org.
Nicatous Lake Conservation Easement
In 1997, Robbins Lumber Company began working with the state of Maine to conserve an entire township that they had recently acquired to manage for forest products. According to Jim Robbins, "When we first bought the Nicatous land we believed we'd be forced to sell the shoreline for development. But one day we got out on the lake in a boat. Just ahead of us three bald eagles were sitting in a tree and we could hear loons calling. I said to my brother, 'We have to find another way.'" In 2000, through a combination of a working forest easement and the state acquisition of key shoreline areas, the ecological, recreational, and economic values of over 20,000 acres surrounding Nicatous Lake in eastern Maine were protected in perpetuity.
The centerpiece of this property is 5,100-acre Nicatous Lake, widely considered to be one of Maine's most beautiful water bodies with its pristine sand beaches, intricate coves and 98 islands. It lies along an historic Penobscot River Indian canoe trail (now the Eastern Maine Canoe Trail) and is the hub for paddling routes down the Union, Narraguagus and West Machias rivers.
Nicatous is one of the top five loon-nesting lakes in Maine, and has three bald eagle nesting sites. There are six deer-wintering areas in the area and ample range for species such a bobcat and black bear. Nearby West Lake supports trophy-sized land-locked salmon that grow up to 7 pounds.
The innovative plan to protect this ecological and recreational haven
began when Robbins Lumber expressed interest in keeping its land undeveloped. By purchasing an
easement on the Robbins land and additional acreage owned by
International Paper, the State helped to foster sustainable forest
management while extinguishing all development rights on the land,
protecting shoreline buffers, and conserving wildlife habitat and
opportunities for traditional recreation. In addition to the easement,
the State acquired 76 of the 98 islands in Nicatous Lake and a 243-acre
parcel connecting the 25,200-acre Duck Lake Public Reserve Unit to Nicatous Lake.
The success of this project depended on a strong partnership in which Maine Coast Heritage Trust, The Forest Society of Maine and The Trust for Public Land
pooled their skills and resources to assist the former landowners and
the Bureau of Parks and Lands in negotiations and fundraising. A
generous grant from the Land for Maine's Future Program helped Maine's
Congressional Delegation secure $3 million from the federal Forest Legacy Program which protects important forests from conversion to other uses.