Crow Wing County achieves dual certification of forest lands

Crow Wing County manages its public forest lands to the highest environmental, social and economic standards, according to the world's two leading forest certification organizations.

This recognition comes after a series of third-party audits resulting in the county receiving its first-ever dual certification for best-management forestry practices from both the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council.

"This dual certification validates that county forest lands are sustainably managed and will continue to provide multiple benefits for future generations," Kirk Titus, Land Services Department supervisor for Natural Resource Management said in a news release.

By recognizing standards of excellence in management practices, Forest Certification is important to maintaining and expanding markets for locally grown wood, as demand for products harvested in an environmentally responsible way is increasingly required by the marketplace, the county reported.

"Certified wood allows the industry to compete in a global market and meet their customer's needs," Titus said. "The economic impact in Crow Wing County and Minnesota is huge. It is very important that we continue to manage our forests in a sustainable way, because they are such a vital resource for our communities. Forest certification helps us do that."

SFI is one of the world's leading third-party forest certification programs. Its forest certification standard is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and forests with exceptional conservation value.

FSC competes with SFI for top-billing as the world's most respected third party forest certification program. Environmental organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace, National Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club and the World Wildlife Fund all support and encourage FSC certification. Like SFI, FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way.

This strategic long-term planning effort will become an effective tool for county resource managers to identify future recreational opportunities and meet the forest management objectives to protect, enhance and restore High Conservation Value Forests.

More information about the comprehensive trails planning project is available via the county Web site and people may join the project contact list by contacting Katie at katie@dovetailinc.org or (612) 414-8041.

The county's effort to achieve forest certification began in 2005 under the leadership of former Land Commissioner Tom Cowell. At that time, Crow Wing County joined with four other area counties - Beltrami, Clearwater, Koochiching and Carlton - to create a county cooperative to achieve certification.

The county manages 103,000 acres of forest land for timber production and recreation opportunities.

The sale of timber at public auctions during the year funds the county's management of these lands, while providing revenues to local communities under a revenue-sharing formula. In 2009, timber sales on county managed lands generated $575,000.00, 30 percent of which - $172,500 - was distributed to townships, cities and school districts in the county to offset local tax levies. Moreover, for every dollar of timber sold, an estimated $41.60 of value added economic activity is generated - or nearly $24 million based on 2009 county timber sales - according to a 2004 state of Minnesota study.