"In addition to strict state regulations, some forest landowners voluntarily choose to seek third-party certification of their forestlands as a means to demonstrate that they are promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible forestry practices," the study's authors said. "Certification entails a rigorous and expensive evaluation of strict standards by a qualified independent auditor (or certifier) who has no vested interest in the forestland in question." These certification initiatives involve environmental groups and are intended to specifically address concerns raised by those groups. But for forest landowners, who spend tens of thousands of dollars - and sometimes hundreds of thousands or more - to prepare for and gain certification, there is currently little or any economic benefit to doing so. The study's authors recommend that an effort be launched to educate the public about the benefits of certification and how these landowners are producing wood in a responsible way.

"In order to offset the costs of certification and allow more participation, FSC and SFI, in collaboration with retailers, should work toward providing the as yet unrealized promise of a monetary premium for certified wood sold at market," the authors said.

Donn Zea, president of the California Forest Products Commission, said consumers should know that California certified wood is grown consistent with the highest possible standards.

He said the commission funded the study to obtain a careful examination of forest landowners' efforts toward sustainable forest management.

"We have a moral responsibility to develop and implement forest management plans that promote long-term sustainability of this renewable resource," Zea said. "This study provides significant information about the implications of government regulation and what is being done today through regulation and voluntary certification programs. We hope this study adds to the dialogue and promotes even better forest management in the future."

CONTACTS: Study Authors Christopher Dicus, 805-756-5104 and Kenneth Delfino, 661-399-7066 or Michelle Dennehy, California Forest Products Commission, 530-823-2363