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Position Statement title

What's your position on third party certification?
An increasing number of North America's timberland owners are embracing third party certification as a tool for assuring the public - and major lumber retailer customers - that their forest practices and harvesting methods are sustainable. Several certification systems are available now, including the American Forest & Paper Association's trademarked Sustainable Forestry Initiative. So long as the focus of certification is limited to forest management practices, and so long as such surveys are not misrepresented by participants anxious to curry favor with customers, we think these systems can serve a valuable public purpose because they underscore the fact that science-based forestry is sustainable.