SFI® Guiding Objectives and Principles.

A clearly-defined Sustainable Forestry Standard is the foundation of the Sustainable Forestry (SFI) Program. This Standard clearly states the principles and practices that lead to sustainable forestry and the measures by which the public can monitor and evaluate the program.

A copy of the 2022 edition of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard brochure is available for download. It contains a complete description of SFI principles, responsible practices and measurements that support the SFI Objectives.

SFI Overview

SFI is a solutions-oriented sustainability organization that collaborates on forest-based conservation and community initiatives that demonstrate and enhance our shared quality of life while providing supply chain assurances through standards,data, and authentic stories.

Our Vision:

A world that values and benefits from sustainably managed forests.

Our Mission:

To advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.

SFI Objectives

1. To broaden the implementation of sustainable forestry by ensuring long-term harvest levels based on the use of the best scientific information available.
2. To ensure long-term forest productivity and conservation of forest resources through prompt reforestation, soil conservation, afforestation, and other measures.
3. To protect water quality in streams, lakes, and other water bodies.
4. To manage the quality and distribution of wildlife habitats and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity by developing and implementing stand- and landscape-level measures that promote habitat diversity and the conservation of forest plants and animals, including aquatic fauna.
5. To manage the visual impact of harvesting and other forest operations.
6. To manage Program Participants lands that are ecologically, ecologically, historically, or culturally important in a manner that recognizes their special qualities.
7. To promote the efficient use of forest resources.
8. To broaden the practice of sustainable forestry through procurement programs.
9. To improve forestry research, science, and technology, upon which sound forest management decisions are based.
10. To improve the practice of sustainable forest management by resource professionals, logging professionals, and contractors through appropriate training and education programs.
11. Commitment to comply with applicable federal, provincial, state, or local laws and regulations.
12. To broaden the practice of sustainable forestry by encouraging the public and forestry community to participate in the commitment to sustainable forestry and publicly report progress.
13. To promote continual improvement in the practice of sustainable forestry and monitor, measure, and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.

Supporting Principles

All SFI program participants support the following principles:

Sustainable Forestry. To practice sustainable forestry to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by practicing a land stewardship ethic that integrates reforestation and the managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air and water quality, biological diversity, wildlife and aquatic habitat, recreation, and aesthetics.

Responsible Practices. To use and to promote among other forest landowners sustainable forestry practices that are both scientifically credible and economically, environmentally and socially responsible.

Reforestation and Productive Capacity. To provide for regeneration after harvest and maintain the productive capacity of the forestland base.

Forest Health and Productivity. To protect forests from uncharacteristic and economically or environmentally undesirable wildfire, pests, diseases, and other damaging agents and thus maintain and improve long-term forest health and productivity.

Long-term Forest and Soil Productivity. To protect and maintain long-term forest and soil productivity.

Protection of Water Resources. To protect water bodies and riparian zones.

Protection of Special Sites and Biological Diversity. To manage forests and lands of special significance (biologically, geologically, historically or culturally important) in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities and to promote a diversity of wildlife habitats, forest types, and ecological or natural community types.

Legal Compliance. To comply with applicable federal, provincial, state, or local forestry and related environmental laws, statutes, and regulations.

Continual Improvement. To continually improve the practice of forest management and also to monitor, measure and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)®and SFI®are service marks of SFI, Inc.