Creative Fab
August 21st, 2005, 10:31 PM
To: Interested Parties
From: Scientific Certification Systems
Date: 8/16/2005
Re: Notification of Pending FSC Certification Evaluation of the Michigan State Forests Managed by the Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) endorsed certifications for the Michigan State Forests. This notice is to inform you that a joint certification assessment will be conducted in the second half of September. This notice and the stakeholder consultation mechanisms contained herein are required under FSC audit protocol (and are not a required part of the SFI protocol); as such, this notice letter and solicitation for comment is focused on the FSC component of the joint assessment. However, any comments relevant to Michigan DNR?s seeking of SFI certification will be duly considered by the joint assessment team.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world?s forests. FSC sets standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. Forests found to be in conformance with the certification standards are certified as ?well managed.?
The scope of this evaluation covers 3.8 million acres of State Forests managed by Michigan DNR. These forests are managed to ?conserve, protect, and provide public use and enjoyment of the natural resource, recreational, ecological, cultural, and historical values for present and future generations.?
Scope and Certification Evaluation Process
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a FSC-accredited certification body based in Emeryville, California, will conduct this FSC certification assessment.
DNR?s management of the Michigan State Forests will be assessed against the FSC Regional Forest Stewardship Standard for the Lake States-Central Hardwoods Region. A copy of the Standard is available from SCS upon request or on the FSC-US web site (www.fscus.org).
The certification assessment process includes the following steps/components:
a) Public notification and distribution of the standard
B) Audit planning and document review
c) Stakeholder consultation - solicitation of comments on the certification applicant
d) Field assessment- a representative sample of field sites and operations within the defined forest area are inspected.
e) Synthesis of findings ? Compliance with the standard is ascertained and the certification decision is formulated
f) Draft report ? A report describing the evaluation process, findings, and certification decision is produced.
g) Peer review ? The evaluation report is peer reviewed by 2 independent natural resource professionals
h) Delivery of final certification report to the applicant
i) Public summary of certification report is released by SCS, if certification is awarded.
Audit Team
Dr. Robert Hrubes, SCS
Mike Ferrucci, NSF-ISR
Dr. David Capen, University of Vermont
Jodi J. Kaiser, Kaiser Forest Resource Management (Michigan)
Call for Public Participation
SCS welcomes comments on the forest management of Michigan DNR or other topics pertinent to their seeking FSC certification, such as whether Michigan DNR complies with the legal, social, technical, and environmental requirements of the certification standard or identification of high conservation value forests[1] within the lands of the State Forests. Comments can be submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile to the Audit Team Leader, Robert Hrubes (see contact information, below). The source of comments received will be kept in strict confidence, if so requested.
Additionally, three public meetings will be held, open to any interested parties that wish to know more about the process and/or offer input. The schedule of the meetings is as follows:
Lansing: Monday, September 19, 2005, 2:30 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. eastern time
Department of Natural Resources
530 West Allegan
7th Floor, Mason Building
1921 Conference Room
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Gaylord: Thursday, September 22, 2005, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Otsego Club and Resort
696 M-32 East
P.O. Box 556
Gaylord, Michigan 49734
Marquette: Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Holiday Inn of Marquette
1951 US 41 West
Marquette, Michigan 49855
Dates of Field Evaluation
The field evaluation is scheduled to take place from September 19th ? 30th, 2005. To be of most utility to the audit team, comments should be submitted before September 19th.
Dispute Resolution Procedure
As provided by the FSC Interim Dispute Resolution Protocol (Document 1.4.3) and the SCS Forest Conservation Program Quality Manual, dispute resolution procedures are in place and available to interested parties.
Additional Information
More information about FSC and SCS can be obtained from www.fsc.org and www.scscertified.com. Information on Michigan DNR can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr.
Robert J. Hrubes, Ph.D.
Senior Vice-President
Scientific Certification Systems
2000 Powell St. Suite 1350, Emeryville, CA 94608
Tel (510) 452-8007, Fax (510) 452-8001
e-mail: rhrubes@scscertified.com
Brendan Grady
Certification Forester
Scientific Certification Systems
145 Park Place
Point Richmond, CA 94801
ph. 510-236-9199
fax 510-236-8598
Independent, third-party evaluation and certification services
From: Scientific Certification Systems
Date: 8/16/2005
Re: Notification of Pending FSC Certification Evaluation of the Michigan State Forests Managed by the Department of Natural Resources
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) endorsed certifications for the Michigan State Forests. This notice is to inform you that a joint certification assessment will be conducted in the second half of September. This notice and the stakeholder consultation mechanisms contained herein are required under FSC audit protocol (and are not a required part of the SFI protocol); as such, this notice letter and solicitation for comment is focused on the FSC component of the joint assessment. However, any comments relevant to Michigan DNR?s seeking of SFI certification will be duly considered by the joint assessment team.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world?s forests. FSC sets standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way. Forests found to be in conformance with the certification standards are certified as ?well managed.?
The scope of this evaluation covers 3.8 million acres of State Forests managed by Michigan DNR. These forests are managed to ?conserve, protect, and provide public use and enjoyment of the natural resource, recreational, ecological, cultural, and historical values for present and future generations.?
Scope and Certification Evaluation Process
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a FSC-accredited certification body based in Emeryville, California, will conduct this FSC certification assessment.
DNR?s management of the Michigan State Forests will be assessed against the FSC Regional Forest Stewardship Standard for the Lake States-Central Hardwoods Region. A copy of the Standard is available from SCS upon request or on the FSC-US web site (www.fscus.org).
The certification assessment process includes the following steps/components:
a) Public notification and distribution of the standard
B) Audit planning and document review
c) Stakeholder consultation - solicitation of comments on the certification applicant
d) Field assessment- a representative sample of field sites and operations within the defined forest area are inspected.
e) Synthesis of findings ? Compliance with the standard is ascertained and the certification decision is formulated
f) Draft report ? A report describing the evaluation process, findings, and certification decision is produced.
g) Peer review ? The evaluation report is peer reviewed by 2 independent natural resource professionals
h) Delivery of final certification report to the applicant
i) Public summary of certification report is released by SCS, if certification is awarded.
Audit Team
Dr. Robert Hrubes, SCS
Mike Ferrucci, NSF-ISR
Dr. David Capen, University of Vermont
Jodi J. Kaiser, Kaiser Forest Resource Management (Michigan)
Call for Public Participation
SCS welcomes comments on the forest management of Michigan DNR or other topics pertinent to their seeking FSC certification, such as whether Michigan DNR complies with the legal, social, technical, and environmental requirements of the certification standard or identification of high conservation value forests[1] within the lands of the State Forests. Comments can be submitted via email, standard mail, or facsimile to the Audit Team Leader, Robert Hrubes (see contact information, below). The source of comments received will be kept in strict confidence, if so requested.
Additionally, three public meetings will be held, open to any interested parties that wish to know more about the process and/or offer input. The schedule of the meetings is as follows:
Lansing: Monday, September 19, 2005, 2:30 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. eastern time
Department of Natural Resources
530 West Allegan
7th Floor, Mason Building
1921 Conference Room
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Gaylord: Thursday, September 22, 2005, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Otsego Club and Resort
696 M-32 East
P.O. Box 556
Gaylord, Michigan 49734
Marquette: Tuesday, September 27, 2005, 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Holiday Inn of Marquette
1951 US 41 West
Marquette, Michigan 49855
Dates of Field Evaluation
The field evaluation is scheduled to take place from September 19th ? 30th, 2005. To be of most utility to the audit team, comments should be submitted before September 19th.
Dispute Resolution Procedure
As provided by the FSC Interim Dispute Resolution Protocol (Document 1.4.3) and the SCS Forest Conservation Program Quality Manual, dispute resolution procedures are in place and available to interested parties.
Additional Information
More information about FSC and SCS can be obtained from www.fsc.org and www.scscertified.com. Information on Michigan DNR can be found at www.michigan.gov/dnr.
Robert J. Hrubes, Ph.D.
Senior Vice-President
Scientific Certification Systems
2000 Powell St. Suite 1350, Emeryville, CA 94608
Tel (510) 452-8007, Fax (510) 452-8001
e-mail: rhrubes@scscertified.com
Brendan Grady
Certification Forester
Scientific Certification Systems
145 Park Place
Point Richmond, CA 94801
ph. 510-236-9199
fax 510-236-8598
Independent, third-party evaluation and certification services