Following the Frog: Jessica Hickman of Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring

In early April, Rainforest Alliance staffer Hope Saginario caught up with Jessica Hickman of Allegheny Mountain Hardwood Flooring at the National Wood Flooring Association Expo in Dallas, TX. The two chatted about Allegheny’s historic commitment to certification and sustainable forestry. In 1999, Hickman Lumber (Allegheny’s parent company) became the first forest manager in Pennsylvania to earn Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification from the Rainforest Alliance.

 

The Rainforest Alliance is the world’s leading FSC Forest Management certifier, with more than 20 years of certification experience. We’ve worked in over 70 countries and all forest types, with small businesses, indigenous communities and Fortune 500 companies alike.

International Day of Forests

We thought the International Day of Forests was the perfect excuse to share a few beautiful photos of these biodiverse wonders.

Mediterranean forests have a short growing season and a mix of hard and soft wood trees. They can be found along the coasts of California, Chile, Western Australia and (you guessed it) the Mediterranean.

Temperate forests—located in eastern North America, northeastern Asia, and western and eastern Europe–typically feature a combination of coniferous and deciduous evergreens.

Most of the precipitation in cloud forests (also known as montane forests) comes from a mist that rises up from the lowlands. These forests can be found in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones.

Plantation forests—covering more than 345 million acres of land around the globe—produce around 40 percent of all industrial wood.

Found near the equator, tropical forests are characterized by year-round high temperatures, plentiful rainfall and thick, lush growth.

Discover the Rainforest Alliance’s work to protect forests (and their inhabitants) through sustainable agriculture, forestry and tourism.

 

Report from Mexico: A Community Committed to Forest Conservation

Mexico is the fifth most biodiverse country on the planet and home to a wide range of flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth.  It is particularly rich in forest species – including over 1,000 native tree species — but has one of the world’s highest deforestation rates. The Rainforest Alliance is working with community foresters across the Central American country to stop the destruction, helping to secure a sustainable future for their forests, their children and their cultures.  Recently, our senior manager of communications, Stuart Singleton-White, visited a community of foresters in Oaxaca, Mexico. He writes…

The Ixtepeji Community Forest Park sits 8,000 feet up in the Serra Madre Del Sur Mountains.  To reach the park we drove 45 minutes out of Oaxaca, climbing increasingly windy mountain roads trimmed with crops and pine forest.  This was not a ride for the timid or squeamish.  Looking out from the bus window, I found myself facing a sheer drop with the valley hundreds of feet below.  I was thrilled I wasn’t driving, particularly when trucks full of logs hurtled toward us as they descended the mountain.

The spectacular views from the winding road.

The community forest park covers 52,811 acres (21,372 hectares) and is run by the local Zapotec community – previously, it was under the jurisdiction of the Mexican government.  Today, almost 80 percent of Mexico’s forests are owned by local communities, meaning that communities have a greater say in how their forests are managed and more control over the economic activities that take place on their land.  For the Ixtepeji, who have a community-nominated committee to manage many of those activities, sustainable logging is an important source of income. The community has earned Forest Stewardship Council certification through the Rainforest Alliance for its commitment to responsible forest management.

Cows freely graze on the property.

This means that the area of the forest open for timber extraction, approximately 9,474 acres (3,834 hectares), is operated on a 10-year rotation with selective extraction taking place in each area once a decade. While the community does plant trees, a great deal of the management focuses on the natural regeneration of the forest.

This portion of the park has been set aside for logging.

But it’s not only timber that provides an income for the community.  Another 4,754 acres (1,924 hectares) is managed to allow the sustainable extraction of other forest products such as ferns, bromeliads and moss — a vital component of any Mexican family’s nativity scene.

Bromeliads are harvested for additional income.

In 2003, the community set aside 2,965 acres (1,200 hectares) of the park for the development of an ecotourism enterprise, situated in the heart of 6,229 acres (2,521 hectares) of fully protected forest. Today the development includes nine family-sized cabins and a block of eight rooms, perfect for tourists who are there to hike, bird watch or simply relax in a beautiful environment.

The community’s ecotourism operation.

What I saw in Ixtepeji was a great example of sustainability in action.  This is forest management that isn’t simply preserving protected forest.  It is a dynamic and productive environment, conserving the best in biodiversity while ensuring a community is able to work in harmony with nature.  The community is able to provide livelihoods to its members for the present and future while keeping its roots planted deep in the ancestral soil.

Learn more about the Rainforest Alliance’s work with community foresters in Mexico and sustainable tourism operations.

Thank You for a Wonderful 2012!

You make our work in sustainable agriculture, forestry, tourism, climate and education possible — and we’re so very grateful for your support. Here’s to an even better 2013!

New Forest Carbon Project to Reduce CO2 Emissions by 800,000 Tons Over 100 Years

Located in eastern Maine, the Farm Cove Forest Carbon Project covers 19,118 acres (7,737 hectares) of land within the Farm Cove Community Forest. It is also the first Improved Forest Management forest carbon project located outside of California to achieve Climate Action Reserve (CAR) verification through the Rainforest Alliance – and, perhaps most impressive, is expected to eliminate over 800,000 tons of CO2 emissions over its 100 year lifespan (equivalent to the annual emissions of over 156,000 cars).

The project area is covered under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest management certificate for Downeast Lakes Land Trust – a local conservation nonprofit in Maine — and the 2011 audit was conducted simultaneously with the CAR verification audit.

Credit: Downeast Lakes Land Trust

“Downeast Lakes Land Trust is a leader, demonstrating that forest carbon projects can be combined with FSC forest certification to enhance the environmental and socio-economic benefits of each,” said Richard Donovan, senior vice president of the Rainforest Alliance. “The whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.”

The project — which was developed by Finite Carbon, who also provided the carbon credit and sequestration calculations — has already reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 200,000 tons and is expected to sequester an additional 600,000 tons of  CO2 over the next 100 years, sequestering a total of 800,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Downeast Lakes Land Trust plans to use its expected proceeds from the sale of carbon credits to fund other conservation initiatives.

“Achieving Rainforest Alliance verification of our carbon credit project is an exciting step. We are focused on forest conservation and management to support the economic and environmental well-being of our community and region,” said Mark Berry, executive director of the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. “By participating in the market for carbon credits, we stand to gain financial resources toward our ongoing effort to conserve an additional 22,000 acres as CommunityForest around Grand Lake Stream.”

The Rainforest Alliance provides a range of verification services to confirm that carbon projects are conservation-oriented and meet established international standards for carbon sequestration. The Climate Action Reserve Standard (CAR) provides a set of rigorous protocols, guidelines and tools to support the North American carbon market. By verifying projects according to the CAR Standard, the Rainforest Alliance encourages action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring the environmental integrity and financial benefit of emissions reduction projects.

Report from Greenbuild: The Rainforest Alliance and Domtar Discuss Their Collaboration

Yesterday at Greenbuild — the world’s largest conference dedicated to green building — the Rainforest Alliance caught up with Dan Persica of Domtar.

In 2003, Domtar announced its intention to achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on all of the forests that it owns and manages as well as all of its manufacturing, converting and distributing operations.

Here, Persica explains the importance of sustainable materials in a green building and discusses his company’s commitment to the Rainforest Alliance.

By choosing Rainforest Alliance Certified and/or Forest Stewardship Council Certified products, consumers are supporting farm and forestry operations that protect people, wildlife and the environment.

A Green Revolution in Production and Consumption

Our vice president of sustainable tourism, Ronald Sanabria, reflects on the Rainforest Alliance’s role as a catalyst of sustainable production and consumption.

The 21^st century has been a period of transformation in agriculture, production and consumption. This “green revolution” has created a green economy, in which consumers are more aware of the origins of the products and services they purchase. In turn, producers, intermediaries and consumers have formed new relationships.

The Río+20 summit, held in June to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the first Earth Summit in Brazil, was an important moment to reflect back on the role of the Rainforest Alliance during two decades of change. With the support of the Mitsubishi Foundation, we participated in the International Sustainable Tourism Conference — organized by the Responsible Tourism Center at Leeds Metropolitan University and the Tourism, Knowledge, and Innovation group at Each/São Paulo University — in order to discuss the lessons learned during our 25 years of promoting sustainable production and consumption in the global marketplace.

The past has taught us that the green revolution should not be limited to the environment. We must also prioritize people. While we are alarmed at how quickly the planet is losing forest coverage and wildlife habitat , we should be equally concerned that 30 percent of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean live on less than $2 a day. Indeed, fifty-one million people in rural areas and 26 million people in urban areas lack things as basic as potable water. These marginalized people are critically dependent on increasingly threatened natural resources.

It is evident that the struggle for the environment will only be effective if we all play a part in the solution. If we want to reduce stress on natural resources, we must begin by eradicating poverty and providing alternative sustainable lifestyles to those who often have no alternative but to clear forests or hunt valuable species in order to provide for their families.

Over the past 25 years, the Rainforest Alliance has worked specifically to conserve biodiversity while identifying ways for communities to live sustainably. We also act as diplomats of change, helping to balance various agendas within different conservation and industrial sectors, and working to transform the way we all produce and consume.

We are active in more than 80 countries, promoting sustainable production in sectors like farming, silviculture and tourism. The Rainforest Alliance provides training and technical assistance to thousands of farmers, forest communities and tourism businesses in order to help them implement socially, environmentally and economically sustainable practices that lead to worker well-being, local development and the protection of nature.

Some 4.2 million acres of sustainable agricultural land (producing tea, coffee, spices, banana, pineapple and other fruits, flowers, palm oil, and livestock) in 36 countries around the world have been Rainforest Alliance Certified™. Through our work in sustainable tourism, we have contributed to the protection of an additional 3.3 million acres of land. And thanks to our work with the forestry industry, more than 169 million acres of forestland are under sustainable production. In total, the Rainforest Alliance’s programs directly affect more than 4.7 million people — including nearly one million full- and part-time workers and their family members.

To make sustainability marketable, we must find ways to ensure that on-the-ground efforts benefit both those in the field and those on the business side.

We must identify and bring together the key forces that benefit sustainable production, including market forces, business risks and public policies. To achieve large-scale success, we must work with institutions, authorities and local governments to show businesses that sustainability is the best economic option.

Consumer education and investment in sustainability is also critical because consumer behavior motivates businesses to transform their business practices. As consumers, we have the power to reward the efforts of responsible producers, suppliers and service providers, thereby bringing benefits to the communities in which the goods are produced.

As the world’s population continues to grow, so too will the demand for food and other products and services.  We can’t stop this growth, but we can work to protect ecosystems, wildlife and the rights and well-being of workers and their families.

Learn more about the Rainforest Alliance’s unique approach. 

 

A Popular Brasilian TV Show Gets an Eco-Friendly Backdrop

The Rainforest Alliance is excited to announce its new, reoccurring role on a popular Brasilian TV show! Sr. Brasil – a traditional Brasilian music show hosted by Rolando Boldrin– is now being shot on the world’s first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified set.

The world's first FSC-certified set.

Made of Sumauma plywood, a material originating from certified forests in the Brasilian Amazon, the set earned an FSC project certification by the Rainforest Alliance. Imaflora, a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Network and our forestry and agriculture certification partner in Brasil, conducted the milestone audit and certification.

“Concern about the environment is worldwide and being a pioneer in this important project is an honor,” says Boldrin, whose show has been on air since 2005. “I’m touched when I remember the singers that have long denounced forests destruction.”

The project was spearheaded by Sr. Brasil’s producer and set designer, Patricia Maia Boldrin. Sr. Brasil unveiled its sustainable set on Thursday, April 5 at 10 PM, and shared some images of the forest with viewers.

A Sumauma tree in the Amazon rainforest.

“I believe that the Sr. Brasil set will act as a model for the certification of other sets on television,” enthuses Daniele Rua, Imaflora’s certification coordinator. “This proposal can be replicated elsewhere.”

Shop the Frog: A New, Simpler Way to Find Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Products!

We’re excited to announce the launch of Shop the Frog, a new, easy-to-navigate consumer directory of Rainforest Alliance Certified products available around the world! In addition to helping conscientious consumers find sustainably produced goods that support a healthy environment and good conditions for workers, families and communities, this new database will increase visibility of our green frog seal while enabling companies that carry and sell certified products to expand their market reach.

Exclusively featuring Rainforest Alliance Certified items, Shop the Frog features more than 300 brand names, retail locations and online retailers. Consumers can search by country, product category (i.e. Food & Beverages, Home & Office Products, Building Materials etc.) and product type (i.e. Coffee, Furniture, Paper, Health & Beauty etc.). Search results link to individual company profile pages that highlight the company’s logo, website, a list of their certified products, countries where the products are sold and, if available, a link to the company’s store locator page and online store.

Consumers can play a key role in populating Shop the Frog by submitting photos of the green frog seal for its “Frog Spotting” slideshow, which features shopper-generated in-store pictures of the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. Participation is easy: consumers can join the “Frog Spotting” group on FlickR to share photos or post shots on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

What kind of goodies can shoppers find on Shop the Frog? Everything from beauty items made with Rainforest Alliance Certified oils to fruit smoothies blended with Rainforest Alliance Certified bananas. Recent additions to the portfolio of North American products carrying the seal include items from Dove® Dark chocolate, Yogi Tea, The Republic of Tea, CLIF Bar and Dagoba® Organic Chocolate.

Shop the Frog will be updated on a regular basis, providing consumers with a comprehensive listing of Rainforest Alliance Certified products worldwide.

What are you waiting for? Visit Shop the Frog to find great, green products today!

Sustainability Gets Its Wheels

We asked Scott Hansen – training coordinator for the Rainforest Alliance’s forestry program and a skateboarding aficionado – to tell us about his decision to create a line of skateboards made with Rainforest Alliance Certified™ material. He writes…

Skateboards are definitely not new — and neither is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)/Rainforest Alliance Certified paper. In fact, both are quite popular and abundantly available. Combining these two items, however, is entirely new. That’s why I’m so proud of my hobby-turned-business, Grow Anthology.

A few of Grow Anthology's beautiful skateboards.

I grew up in central California and spent most of my formative years outside. For 26 years, I had a wonderful playground and I used it to surf, skateboard, hike and snowboard.

In 2007, I moved to Minnesota to be closer to my wife’s family and began working for the Rainforest Alliance. I had a degree in forestry and was excited to put my education to work at such a progressive organization.Once I stopped whining about not being able to surf, I realized that Minneapolis has an incredible greenway system with paved trails connecting all of the city’s rivers and lakes. Skateboarding on these trails is such a fun way to get exercise and fresh air — plus, it takes me back to my boarding roots.

Manufacturing a Grow Anthology skateboard.

Last spring, a friend and I started tinkering with the idea of making skateboards out of an innovative material called “pressboard”– a flexible sheet material made of layers of paper coated in resin and pressed together. We purchased some pressboard of varying thicknesses and began building skateboard prototypes.

Our products and processes are a reflection of what we value in life: simplicity, functionality and timelessness. All manufacturing — from log to skateboard — is done in the United States and all finishing, assembly and packaging is done by hand.

Riding a Grow Anthology skateboard.

We chose the name “Grow Anthology” because we plant a tree for every skateboard we sell. The trees that are cut to eventually become our boards originate from sustainably managed forests — making our tree planting an added bonus to an already eco-friendly enterprise.

We have chosen to use FSC/Rainforest Alliance Certified materials because we believe in a sustainable future. Wood is beautiful, useful, valuable and renewable. We should all work to ensure that coming generations have access to this incredible resource.