With about 90 percent of Maine covered by forests, it is no surprise that the citizens of Maine want to know that the people who own and work in the Maine woods are managing them with an eye toward keeping them productive for the present and sustained for future generations.

That’s where the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) comes in. SFI is a program designed to ensure that forests in Maine and across the country are managed sustainably. The Program fosters continuous improvement in forest management by requiring forest professionals – including landowners, loggers, and mill owners – to commit to ongoing research, continuing professional education, and consistent communication with the general public concerning developments within the SFI Program.

What’s New! 

Maine SIC wins 2023 SFI Achievement Award

Vancouver, Canada — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced today that the Maine SFI Implementation Committee is the winner of the 2023 SFI Implementation Committee Achievement Award. This award, announced at the  SFI Annual Conference, recognizes the exceptional work of the grassroots network of SFI Implementation Committees across the U.S. and Canada. Groups ranging from Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts to universities and Ducks Unlimited Canada work with SFI Implementation Committees.

“SFI Standards are on the frontlines when it comes to the most pressing issues facing forest sector organizations and the lands they care for. It’s very gratifying for everyone connected to the Maine SFI Implementation Committee to be recognized for helping to maximize SFI’s leadership, reach, and impact,” said Pat Sirois, Maine SFI Implementation Committee Coordinator. Read more.


2022 Maine SIC Annual Report

Link to all SIC Annual Reports

When we look at the stories and contributions in this report, we have to feel good about the community that’s been assembled by this program over the past 22 years, both at the national level and state level.

I’m not sure any of us who were here in the beginning imagined the research that would be conducted or the information that would be disseminated to so many loggers, foresters and landowners by such talented instructors. Nor could we imagine the methods we might use for community outreach to get the word out about forest sustainability, so that people are reminded that using wood from well-managed sources is a good thing.

We also couldn’t have predicted that we would be joined by so many amazing partners, who help make these efforts possible and credible. There’s been a lot of hard work by many and it’s paying off.




SIC, CLP help build outdoor classroom

It was like a barn raising – only without the barn. Over three days this summer, volunteers from across Maine’s forest community helped create an outdoor classroom pavilion for the Maine TREE Foundation at the Holt Research Forest in Arrowsic.

“Maine TREE is excited about the opportunity to bring teachers, students and the community into closer contact with the research, data and hands-on experience at our own Holt Forest,” said Sherry Huber, executive director. “We are especially grateful to University of Maine resident scientist Jack Witham, Maine SFI Director Patrick Sirois and all the volunteers who pitched in and to those who donated materials to make our Outdoor Classroom a reality over this past summer.” Read more.


Great News about LEED Recognizing SFI, ATFS, CSA and PEFC

At SFI we believe the future of our forests and our shared quality of life depend on strengthening the vital links between healthy forests, responsible purchasing and sustainable communities. The U.S. Green Building Council’s move to recognize SFI for LEED credit underscores those links and validates and sustains the many communities and the millions of people who work every day to ensure responsibly managed forests provide the many benefits we cannot live without.

The new LEED alternative compliance path (ACP) recognizes wood and paper products certified to SFI, ATFS, CSA and other PEFC endorsed standards. See SFI’s press release announcing the news.

Technical fact sheet– walks through the LEED credit requirements.
General Green Building and SFI Fact Sheet

 Please join other SFI members in helping Pine Tree Camp build new cabins

By Erin Rice, Marketing and Development Director, Pine Tree Society (Read Letter)


FIN FACTS: Fisheries Improvement Network   … click here for more Information …

SFI Annual Reports

Adoption of Carbon Credit Programs among SFI Participants in Maine

Keeping Maine’s Forests (KMF) collaborated with Maine’s Implementation Committee of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) to undertake a study of Maine’s SFI-certified landowners’ participation in carbon credit programs. Forest lands must be certified as sustainably managed in order to be eligible for the California carbon credit market, and millions of acres of Maine’s commercial forest lands are enrolled in the SFI program, yet none has enrolled in potentially lucrative carbon credit programs. The KMF study enlists the expertise of a panel of advisors from the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, Maine land managers and forestry experts, and a professional carbon project developer to find out why. Download file Carbon Markets in Maine 

Maine Public Radio Story on Stream Restoration Initiative

Maine Public Television Story on Fish Passage

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The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program was a response to the public’s obvious concern about the long-term sustainability of the country’s forest resources.

In practice, the SFI program involves the development and implementation of forest management standards that, in addition to requiring sustainable levels of forest harvesting, are dedicated to, among other things:

  • the protection of water quality
  • the management of wildlife habitat
  • the protection of rare plants
  • the conservation of biodiversity
  • the application of science-based forestry and
  • the protection of soil productivity

In broader terms, the five underlying principles of SFI are to:

  • Meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.
  • Promote environmentally and economically responsible practices.
  • Improve forest health and productivity.
  • Manage our forests to protect their special qualities.
  • Continuously improve forest management and measure progress.

SFI Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) program. Across the United States and Canada, 240 million acres /nearly 100 million hectares are certified to the SFI forest management standard. In addition, the SFI program’s unique fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands. SFI chain of custody (COC) certification tracks the percentage of fiber from certified forests, certified sourcing and post-consumer recycled content. SFI on product labels identify both certified sourcing and COC claims to help consumers make responsible purchasing decisions. SFI Inc. is governed by a three chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally. Learn more at http://www.sfiprogram.org/ and http://sfiprogram.org/BuySFI.

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