AMC gets forest management certification in Maine
Photo Credit / Dave Publicover
The Forest Stewardship Council has awarded its coveted FSC certification to the Appalachian Mountain Club.
The Forest Stewardship Council has awarded its coveted FSC certification to the Appalachian Mountain Club’s forest management on its Maine woodlands in the 100-Mile Wilderness region.
AMC manages 70,000 acres of permanently protected forestland in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness region as part of its Maine Woods Initiative.
Wood harvested on AMC land now can be sold as FSC-certified, a signal to buyers that this wood was responsibly grown and harvested. Local logging crews are contracted to supply local mills as part of AMC’s goal of supporting communities in the region.
FSC certification verifies that AMC’s management of its Maine woodlands conforms with 10 principles and 56 criteria addressing the ecological, economic and social aspects of those forests.
“Forest Stewardship Council certification has been a major goal since the inception of AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative in 2003,” AMC Senior Staff Scientist Dave Publicover said in a statement announcing the achievement. “We are pleased to have documented our conformance with FSC’s standards.”
AMC achieved its certification by joining The Nature Conservancy’s group certificate, which allows multiple landowners to be included in a single certificate under a group manager. TNC’s certificate includes nearly 350,000 acres of TNC- and partner-owned properties in seven states from Maine to Minnesota to Virginia. In Maine, the group includes AMC land and TNC’s 160,000-acre St. John River property.
In its release, AMC stated that Huber Resources Corp. played an important role in the FSC certification, singling out its field forester Ted Shina, who worked with Publicover, AMC’s Maine Wilderness Initiative Lands Manager Steve Tatko, Huber Operations Manager Kenny Fergusson and The Nature Conservancy’s Director of Forest Certification Programs Fran Price to document AMC’s adherence to the FSC criteria.
The review process included a three-day, independent, third-party field audit in October that was conducted by the Rainforest Alliance, which determined that AMC’s forestry activities — such as timber harvesting, environmental protection, bridge construction and road maintenance — were consistent with its stated plans and FSC standards.
Huber has provided forest management consulting services since AMC bought its first forest property in Maine in 2003, providing expertise and guidance on forest management planning and overseeing all timber harvesting operations.
“We received extensive compliments on the quality of our operations and the knowledge and qualifications of our management team,” Publicover said of the audit process. “We’re proud to know that wood harvested from our property is now eligible to be included in certified wood products displaying the FSC logo.”
Read more
AMC adds 4,311 acres to Maine Woods Initiative
Drummond Woodsum lawyers help Appalachian Mountain Club cash in on uncut trees
On the trail | Enhancements to the AMC's 50-mile trail bring tourists and controversy
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments