The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Benefits Tennessee’s Woodlands

In partnership with: Tennessee Department of Agriculture

The Volunteer State boasts 15 state forests covering 168,000 acres. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry is committed to managing those forests well, including maintaining high standards of sustainable forestry through certification with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

“Sustainable forestry is critical to forest management,” says Andy McBride, state forest unit leader. “Every year, the SFI audits 17 different performance evaluations. The criteria range from timber harvesting and forest biodiversity to climate change, fire resiliency, indigenous rights and more. Initial certification requires you to meet those performance measures, and then every year, a third-party organization comes and audits the state forest system. The certification itself is good for five years.”

The SFI’s standards, represented by the performance measures, serve as a guide for foresters in the field.

Fortifying Forests

“I get questions about what we’re allowed to do,” says McBride, who oversees management of all the state forests. “We go back to those performance measures and the standards that SFI has set up, and we use those as a basis for dictating our management objectives.”

See more: Reuse and Recycle Pallets to Support Tennessee Forestry

In addition to meeting all the SFI’s performance measures, the Division of Forestry participates in multiple levels of planning backed up with data and evidence to do the best work possible.

“We’re working very hard to maintain and protect the forests in a defined scientific manner,” McBride says. “There’s a reason and a plan and a motive behind what we’re doing.”

The SFI adds credibility to those day-to-day plans by coming in as third-party observers to conduct their reviews. When the SFI confirms the Division of Forestry is doing things right, it holds weight.

While some may hear “sustainable” simply as a trendy buzzword, the Division of Forestry takes it very seriously.

“Sustainability drives everything we do,” McBride says. “We’re in charge of managing and enhancing these natural resources that are our state forests. We want to make sure we’re operating in a proper way that allows us to enjoy the forests for a variety of uses and, over time, protect and conserve them for future generations.”

Taking Initiative

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is an independent nonprofit company that believes that sustainable forests are critical to the future. The initiative is a sustainability leader through its work in standards, conservation, community and education.

To learn more, visit tnforestry.com/sustainable-forestry-initiative.