For decades now, the North American forest products industry and private and public landowners have sustainably managed and cared for forests — protecting the forest ecosystem while also producing products, such as furniture, paper and lumber, that are needed by society.

A new study by researchers at the U.S. Forest Service now confirms that sustainably managing forests and using trees for essential products not only help people, but also help keep forests growing.

I’m hoping this study will help more people understand the important role that wood-using markets play in keeping both our economy AND environment healthy.

After reviewing a wealth of data, Forest Service research forester Peter J. Ince writes:

“In general, the data show that global regions with the highest levels of industrial timber harvest and forest product output are also regions with the lowest rates of deforestation.”

The reason is clear, although it’s often misunderstood or mischaracterized. Forest products companies and forest landowners have a vested interest in keeping forests as forests for the long term, so they utilize sustainable forest management practices that are designed to keep forests perpetually regenerating.

At the same time, the revenue that forest owners receive from the sale of harvested trees helps to pay their ownership and forest management expenses.  Absent this income, there is a very real potential that many forest owners would have to sell their land for development. And development, as Mr. Ince points out, is among the primary reasons behind the loss of forests in North America.

Mr. Ince’s study also confirms that sustainable forest management helps mitigate climate change because healthy, growing, managed forests remove (“sequester”) carbon from our air. Forests that are left to stagnate, die and decay, on the other hand, end up releasing carbon.

“Industrial roundwood harvest levels in North America and Europe are by far the highest among all global regions,” Mr. Ince writes. But, not coincidentally, North American and Europe are also “…the only global regions experiencing net sequestration of carbon in forests, and in aggregate the net change in forest area for Europe and North America is positive.”

Adding to the carbon sequestration benefits of managed forests: Forest products, such as chairs and tables, continue to serve as “atmospheric carbon storage devices” in your home or office.

All of these facts demonstrate the importance of developing public policy measures that encourage and reward sustainable forest management, as opposed to our current societal inclination to discourage the use of this incredible, renewable and recyclable natural resource.

Finch Paper’s goal has been and remains: “Keep forests forested.”

Finch Paper is proud to announce the availability of a new environmental logo that you can use on any Finch project. The logo makes a meaningful statement about your commitment to responsible papermaking; renewable, responsible forestry; and renewable, responsible energy.

We aren’t claiming that you can  “save” trees, or take cars off the road, or anything like that. BUT by choosing responsibly made paper, you ARE helping to conserve forests.

When you choose Finch Paper, you’re supporting certified, responsible forest management practices that help keep forests growing and perpetually regenerating. Responsible forest management not only keeps forests healthy, it generates the revenue (from furniture, lumber, paper and other wood products) that helps forest owners afford to keep their forests as forests rather than converting them for commercial or residential development.  And that helps reduce the impacts of climate change, and assures clean, fresh water and well-functioning ecosystems.

Buying Finch Paper also demonstrates your support for renewable, non-fossil fuel energy sources. Two-thirds of the energy used to make Finch Paper comes directly from the use of renewable biomass (wood waste) and hydroelectricity.

You can download the new Finch eco logo here, and keep feeling good about the (Finch) paper you buy.

If you have questions about Finch Paper’s forestry practices or our environmental commitment, please feel free to drop me a line.

Finch foresters may be employed by a paper manufacturer, but the forests that we sustainably manage produce wood for many different types of products.

Take  Adirondack “fiddlebutt” spruce logs, for example. This species and type of log is highly regarded by the makers of string instruments — in particular, acoustic guitars. It is the curved butt of the logs, where the bole of the tree flares out to the roots, that makes them so valuable and contributes to their name.

Lumber cut from “Fiddlebutt” logs is often used for the soundboard, the flat, figure eight-shaped surface on the top of the guitar. The board’s rigidity delivers outstanding tonal qualities, and the wood also has an aesthetically pleasing curved grain appearance.

“Fiddlebutt” logs are so highly prized in the musical industry, in fact, that our foresters have known people to drive for more than half a day to pick up as few as six logs from an Adirondack forest.

Finch foresters are experts at determining the highest value use for various parts of a tree. For example, the lower portions of a spruce tree, with straight lines and no branches or knots, are typically the most valuable and are used for veneer and specialized products like musical instruments or for the clapboards used in real wood siding for houses. The upper portions of the tree, including larger branches, are relatively low-quality and used for structural lumber in construction or in papermaking.