Western Canadian Sustainable Forestry Initiative Implementation Committee (WCSIC)

WCSIC |
WCSIC Responsibilities |

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Small Woodlands Partnership Outreach (SWP)

The WCSIC is a supporter to the Small Woodlands Partnership Outreach (SWP). The partnership consists of like-minded organizations with a common interest in promoting best management practices (BMP)/responsible forestry practices on small woodlands in British Columbia. The Small Woodland Partnership provides resources & training information to small woodland owners. The program focuses on non-industrial private forest land that is not currently committed to forestry. The goal is to increase landowner knowledge of responsible forest practices and or sustainable forest management.

WCSIC Activities and Responsibilities

SFI Implementation Committees (SICs) perform local outreach and education activities that promote sustainable forestry, the SFI program, and SFI Standard compliance. Through a consensus-based process, SFI program participants have defined SIC responsibilities as:

Overall SIC Mission – Effectively facilitate or manage at a state or provincial level the programs and alliances which support the growth of the SFI program.
Core SIC Mission – Priorities for all SICs

Establish criteria and identify delivery mechanisms for logger and forester training to define what it means to be “SFI trained”;
Establish and maintain protocols for addressing inconsistent practices;
Focus landowner outreach efforts on education and technical assistance;
Focus public outreach efforts on increasing SFI program recognition and support with local opinion leaders and forestry professionals;
Document progress through a SIC Annual Progress Report to SFI Inc.; and
Protect the integrity of the SFI program by: a) ensuring proper SIC service mark usage, b) alerting SFI Inc. when improper communications or misleading claims are observed, and c) avoiding the appearance of participation or compliance by non-SFI program participants.

Secondary SIC Mission – Priorities determined by each SIC, individual participants may choose not to participate or support even if the SIC pursues these objectives.

Provide delivery mechanisms for logger and forester training to address SFI program needs not adequately provided by other programs;
Sponsor active public outreach efforts that may include paid advertising;
Encourage large landowners and all forest products manufacturers to enrol as SFI program participants; encourage family forest owners to participate in Tree Farm or similar programs as appropriate; and
Encourage agencies to provide timely, accurate harvest and regeneration statistics.

Western Canada SIC Operating Principles

Membership – SFI participants, others in advisory capacity

Purpose – SFI specific promotion and quality control
Organization – SFI participants should develop & share with SFI Inc.

Charter/bylaws
Annual work plan
Budget
Membership list

Governance – independent committee guided by MOU & Licensing Agreement