New SCMA Report Highlights Sustainability of Cypress
PITTSBURGH – The Southern Cypress Manufacturers Assn. (SCMA) released “A Commitment to Sustainable Forestry,” a new report that highlights the healthy state of the cypress resource in the United States and details the sustainable forestry practices of its members.

The SCMA’s statement of cypress sustainability is based on a 2008 report from the U.S. Forest Service, which says that “though the cypress resource has fluctuated in recent years, no state has experienced a significant change in volume in recent surveys.”  The report also cites regional and statewide inventory and analysis surveys that indicate the “relative stability of the resource …”

The SCMA report also reiterates the commitment of its members to building and sustaining cypress resources according to the following guidelines:
• Following harvesting practices as outlined by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard (2005-2009 Edition).
• Using Best Management Practices in the harvesting of cypress timber.
• Harvesting timber within these guidelines to utilize the cypress resource in the marketplace without compromising the resource for future generations.
• Complying with federal, state and local regulations and laws in the harvesting of cypress timber and the manufacture of lumber.
• Harvesting cypress at a rate that is sustainable in relation to growth, harvesting, and natural elimination.

A copy of the report can be read or downloaded at www.cypressinfo.org. Hard copies of the report are available by calling (877) 607-7262.

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