Our Principles

At the heart of the SFI® Standard are the SFI Principles. These principles call upon SFI participants to meet market demands while using environmentally responsible practices that promote the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, air and water quality to ensure the future of our nation's forests.

Our Objectives

The SFI Objectives translate these principles into action by providing those who manage our forests with a specific roadmap to expand the practice of sustainable forestry and to visibly improve performance. The objectives form the substance of the SFI program and promote the following:

• Broadening the implementation of sustainable forestry by employing an array of economically, environmentally and socially sound practices in the conservation of forests -- including appropriate protection, growth, harvest and use of those forests -- using the best scientific information available.
• Ensuring long-term forest productivity and conservation of forest resources through prompt reforestation, soil conservation, afforestation and other measures.
• Protecting the water quality in streams, lakes and other waterbodies.
• Managing the quality and distribution of wildlife habitats and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity by developing and implementing stand and landscape-level measures that promote habitat diversity and the conservation of forest plants and animals including aquatic fauna.
• Managing the visual impact of harvesting and other forest operations.
• Managing Program Participant lands of ecologic, geologic, cultural or historic significance in a manner that recognizes their special qualities.
• Promoting the efficient use of forest resources.
• Broadening the practice of sustainable forestry by cooperating with forest landowners, wood producers, consulting foresters and Program Participants' employees who have responsibility in wood procurement and landowner assistance programs.
• Publicly reporting Program Participants' progress in fulfilling their commitment to sustainable forestry.
• Providing opportunities for the public and the forestry community to participate in the commitment to sustainable forestry.
• Promoting continual improvement in the practice of sustainable forestry and monitor, measure and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.