Past Projects

SmartWood Assessor Training

SmartWood is one of two national forest certification programs. Each year they offer Assessor training to accredit individuals as assessors for forest certification. The course teaches how to evaluate forest land and the owners land management practices and certifying the land as well managed.

On February 24-26, Jim Finley co-facilitated and Michael Washburn assisted with a SmartWood assessor-training course held in St. Mary's, Pennsylvania. Thirteen individuals attended the course. Rick Fletcher conducted an assessor-training course on April 19-21 with SmartWood affiliate, The Rogue Institute in Oregon. Held in Corvallis, Oregon, --- attended the training. Subsequent critiques and coordination may reveal opportunities for the Partnership to play a prominent role in assessor training on a national scale, and across Forest Stewardship Council and other systems.

Innovator Assistance

Partnership staff and faculty are available to answer questions and provide referral to individuals interested in learning more about, or practicing sustainable forestry. While we can't answer every question, we can often find those experts who can. Contact us via email: sfpinfo@psu.edu.

Comparative Matrix of Certification Systems/Landowner Guide

Rick Fletcher and Eric Hansen of Oregon State, and Mark Richenbach now of the University of Wisconsin have developed a fact sheet to provide easy reference for comparing elements of various forest certification systems. This "comparative matrix" is available on-line, and in the form of an expanded publication "A Landowner Guide to Certification" (available summer 2000). The USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (forestry extension) supported this project. Contact any Partnership office for copies.

• Current projects