What: Sustainable Forestry Initiative Annual Conference
When: September 21-23, 2010
Where: Vancouver, B.C.- Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside
The 15th Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Annual Conference will be held September 21-23, 2010 in Vancouver, B.C. at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside. This year's conference theme is the Power of Partnerships. Over 175 international delegates expected to attend including forestry experts, conservation and community groups, academia and forest product customers.
The conference is set to explore the many ways collaboration leads to improved forest management, public education, and implementation of the SFI Standard, which today is the largest single forest certification standard in the world. The conference will feature remarks by SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow, among others, as well as a keynote by Linda Coady, Distinguished Fellow, University of British Columbia and Vice-President of Sustainability, Vancouver Olympics Organizing Committee. Local and international speakers will discuss partnerships yielding benefits for the forest products marketplace, communities, First Nations and government agencies throughout North America and globally. Expert panels will examine issues and topics such as:
* Green Building
* International Partnerships and Procurement Policies
* Conservation and Community Partnerships in Action
* Global Forest Certification Trends
About SFI Inc.
SFI Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. More than 175 million acres/72 million hectares are certified to the SFI forest management standard across North America, making it the largest single forest standard in the world. SFI chain-of-custody certification tells buyers the percentage of certified, responsibly sourced and recycled content in a product. Unique SFI fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands in North America. SFI Inc. is governed by a three chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.
Schedule:
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
2:30 – 5:00 pm: Conference Opening
MODERATOR:
Rick Jeffery, President & CEO, Coast Forest Products Association
Opening Ceremony: This year’s annual conference opening ceremony will commence with an aboriginal dance celebration from the Musqueam Nation to welcome those attending our gathering. This will immediately be followed by a blessing of the conference from an elder representing the Musqueam band.
Session: Welcome
Celebrate our achievements and discover the opportunities that lie ahead.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Kathy Abusow, President & CEO, SFI Inc.
* Marvin Brown, Oregon State Forester and Chairman of the SFI Board of Directors
* Dana Hayden, Deputy Minister, British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range, will welcome delegates to British Columbia.
* Dr. John Innes, Dean of Forestry, University of British Columbia
Keynote Address: Certification, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability — The Next Generation
* Linda Coady, Distinguished Fellow, University of British Columbia and Vice-President of Sustainability, Vancouver Olympics Organizing Committee
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
8:30 – 10:00 am: Session: Global Partnerships & Procurement
Join our panel in exploring leading partnerships in the international landscape, which embrace procurement policies advancing improved forest practices and responsible forestry worldwide.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Benjamin Singer, Forest Affairs Officer, United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat
* Sofie Tind-Nielsen, Project Manager, UK’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET)
* Dave Ingersoll, Senior International Trade Analyst, US International Trade Commission
10:15 – 11:45 am: Session: Conservation and Community Partnerships in Action
Learn about SFI’s newest initiative, the Conservation Research and Community Grant Partnerships, which provides funding for collaborative projects supporting partnerships between organizations working to improve forest management in the US and Canada and responsible procurement globally.
Presentations will illustrate how these exciting projects are directly linked to SFI standard requirements and facilitate partnerships increasing tangible benefits on the ground, their reach extending far beyond certified lands. We will also discuss the process nine Aboriginal communities in Western Canada used to reach SFI certification, the criteria to assess which certification standard would be the best fit, and the lessons learned through the certification process.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Daniel Petit, Director, Bird Conservation Initiative, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
* Pete Davidson, Program Manager, Bird Studies Canada - Canada Pacific Wildlife Research Centre
* Corby Lamb, Principal, Capacity Forest Management
12:00 – 1:15 pm: Awards Luncheon
1:30 – 2:30 pm: Session: Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement Panel
Join us as this panel examines the recently established Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. We will hear perspectives from a foundation and an SFI program participant involved in the development and launch of the agreement. We will also learn what it means for SFI companies operating in the boreal, for forest certification and for the market place.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Bruce Lourie, President, Ivey Foundation
* Wayne Clogg, Senior Vice President, Woodlands, West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
3:00 – 5:00 pm: Session: Green Building in the Marketplace
Join these champions of green building initiatives from the US and Canada to explore how new trends and technology, which are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient, are reducing the environmental footprints of buildings. Learn how SFI, in collaboration with its partners, is working to ensure forest certification and the SFI program support the goals of green building.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Kathy Abusow, President and CEO, SFI Inc. will provide an update on USGBC
* Ann Ralph, Executive Officer, Built Green Canada
* Terry Petkau, Director of Building Services, Habitat for Humanity Canada
* John Wagner, co-founder of the Certified Green Dealer Program, and Green Editor for LBM Journal, Qualified Remodeler, and Residential Design and Build magazines
* Steve Lovett, Consultant, Blue Ribbon Commission for Check-off, and Founder and President,Phoenix Strategic Solutions, Inc.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
8:30 – 9:45 am: Session: Customer Collaboration & Market Demand
This session will explore perspectives and predictions from major North American companies on the theme of sourcing responsibly and how customers are making responsible buying choices, as well as learn about trends which are driving market demand and contributing to SFI's growth and the advancement of responsible forest management.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Al Dragone, CEO, Unisource Worldwide Inc.
* Eric Paradis, Vice President, Merchandising / Building Material and Forest Products, RONA
10:00 – 11:45 am: Session: Market Trends and Emerging Issues
This session will focus on global market trends and the emerging markets arena. Learn about global certification trends and developments in the carbon offset markets.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Michael Goergen, Executive Vice President, Society of American Foresters and Chair, SFI Inc. External Review Panel will speak about developments in the voluntary and compliance carbon offset markets and the role of forests and forest products in those markets.
* Derik Broekhoff, Vice President of Policy, Climate Action Reserve, will speak about their recently updated forest project protocol and its use in the domestic carbon offset market.
* Bill Street, Director, Woodworkers Department at the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace workers (IAMAW), SFI Board Member and Chair of the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) will outline certification standards meeting PEFC’s rigorous assessment requirements around the world, and summarize SFI’s collaboration, outreach and advances.
11:45 – 12:00 pm: Conference Wrap-Up with Kathy Abusow, SFI Inc. President and CEO
*Additional conference speakers to be confirmed.
Source: Sustainable Forestry Initiative
When: September 21-23, 2010
Where: Vancouver, B.C.- Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside
The 15th Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Annual Conference will be held September 21-23, 2010 in Vancouver, B.C. at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside. This year's conference theme is the Power of Partnerships. Over 175 international delegates expected to attend including forestry experts, conservation and community groups, academia and forest product customers.
The conference is set to explore the many ways collaboration leads to improved forest management, public education, and implementation of the SFI Standard, which today is the largest single forest certification standard in the world. The conference will feature remarks by SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow, among others, as well as a keynote by Linda Coady, Distinguished Fellow, University of British Columbia and Vice-President of Sustainability, Vancouver Olympics Organizing Committee. Local and international speakers will discuss partnerships yielding benefits for the forest products marketplace, communities, First Nations and government agencies throughout North America and globally. Expert panels will examine issues and topics such as:
* Green Building
* International Partnerships and Procurement Policies
* Conservation and Community Partnerships in Action
* Global Forest Certification Trends
About SFI Inc.
SFI Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. More than 175 million acres/72 million hectares are certified to the SFI forest management standard across North America, making it the largest single forest standard in the world. SFI chain-of-custody certification tells buyers the percentage of certified, responsibly sourced and recycled content in a product. Unique SFI fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands in North America. SFI Inc. is governed by a three chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.
Schedule:
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
2:30 – 5:00 pm: Conference Opening
MODERATOR:
Rick Jeffery, President & CEO, Coast Forest Products Association
Opening Ceremony: This year’s annual conference opening ceremony will commence with an aboriginal dance celebration from the Musqueam Nation to welcome those attending our gathering. This will immediately be followed by a blessing of the conference from an elder representing the Musqueam band.
Session: Welcome
Celebrate our achievements and discover the opportunities that lie ahead.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Kathy Abusow, President & CEO, SFI Inc.
* Marvin Brown, Oregon State Forester and Chairman of the SFI Board of Directors
* Dana Hayden, Deputy Minister, British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range, will welcome delegates to British Columbia.
* Dr. John Innes, Dean of Forestry, University of British Columbia
Keynote Address: Certification, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability — The Next Generation
* Linda Coady, Distinguished Fellow, University of British Columbia and Vice-President of Sustainability, Vancouver Olympics Organizing Committee
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
8:30 – 10:00 am: Session: Global Partnerships & Procurement
Join our panel in exploring leading partnerships in the international landscape, which embrace procurement policies advancing improved forest practices and responsible forestry worldwide.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Benjamin Singer, Forest Affairs Officer, United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat
* Sofie Tind-Nielsen, Project Manager, UK’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET)
* Dave Ingersoll, Senior International Trade Analyst, US International Trade Commission
10:15 – 11:45 am: Session: Conservation and Community Partnerships in Action
Learn about SFI’s newest initiative, the Conservation Research and Community Grant Partnerships, which provides funding for collaborative projects supporting partnerships between organizations working to improve forest management in the US and Canada and responsible procurement globally.
Presentations will illustrate how these exciting projects are directly linked to SFI standard requirements and facilitate partnerships increasing tangible benefits on the ground, their reach extending far beyond certified lands. We will also discuss the process nine Aboriginal communities in Western Canada used to reach SFI certification, the criteria to assess which certification standard would be the best fit, and the lessons learned through the certification process.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Daniel Petit, Director, Bird Conservation Initiative, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
* Pete Davidson, Program Manager, Bird Studies Canada - Canada Pacific Wildlife Research Centre
* Corby Lamb, Principal, Capacity Forest Management
12:00 – 1:15 pm: Awards Luncheon
1:30 – 2:30 pm: Session: Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement Panel
Join us as this panel examines the recently established Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. We will hear perspectives from a foundation and an SFI program participant involved in the development and launch of the agreement. We will also learn what it means for SFI companies operating in the boreal, for forest certification and for the market place.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Bruce Lourie, President, Ivey Foundation
* Wayne Clogg, Senior Vice President, Woodlands, West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
3:00 – 5:00 pm: Session: Green Building in the Marketplace
Join these champions of green building initiatives from the US and Canada to explore how new trends and technology, which are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient, are reducing the environmental footprints of buildings. Learn how SFI, in collaboration with its partners, is working to ensure forest certification and the SFI program support the goals of green building.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Kathy Abusow, President and CEO, SFI Inc. will provide an update on USGBC
* Ann Ralph, Executive Officer, Built Green Canada
* Terry Petkau, Director of Building Services, Habitat for Humanity Canada
* John Wagner, co-founder of the Certified Green Dealer Program, and Green Editor for LBM Journal, Qualified Remodeler, and Residential Design and Build magazines
* Steve Lovett, Consultant, Blue Ribbon Commission for Check-off, and Founder and President,Phoenix Strategic Solutions, Inc.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
8:30 – 9:45 am: Session: Customer Collaboration & Market Demand
This session will explore perspectives and predictions from major North American companies on the theme of sourcing responsibly and how customers are making responsible buying choices, as well as learn about trends which are driving market demand and contributing to SFI's growth and the advancement of responsible forest management.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Al Dragone, CEO, Unisource Worldwide Inc.
* Eric Paradis, Vice President, Merchandising / Building Material and Forest Products, RONA
10:00 – 11:45 am: Session: Market Trends and Emerging Issues
This session will focus on global market trends and the emerging markets arena. Learn about global certification trends and developments in the carbon offset markets.
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
* Michael Goergen, Executive Vice President, Society of American Foresters and Chair, SFI Inc. External Review Panel will speak about developments in the voluntary and compliance carbon offset markets and the role of forests and forest products in those markets.
* Derik Broekhoff, Vice President of Policy, Climate Action Reserve, will speak about their recently updated forest project protocol and its use in the domestic carbon offset market.
* Bill Street, Director, Woodworkers Department at the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace workers (IAMAW), SFI Board Member and Chair of the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) will outline certification standards meeting PEFC’s rigorous assessment requirements around the world, and summarize SFI’s collaboration, outreach and advances.
11:45 – 12:00 pm: Conference Wrap-Up with Kathy Abusow, SFI Inc. President and CEO
*Additional conference speakers to be confirmed.
Source: Sustainable Forestry Initiative
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