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DCNR Secretary John C. Oliver led a five-day trade mission to England and Belgium early this month to market Pennsylvania’s world-class hardwoods and certified state forests.
“Pennsylvania’s forests are admired worldwide for their diverse mix of high-quality hardwoods enriched with thousands of plant and animal species, scenic rivers and streams, and seemingly endless opportunities for recreation and solitude,” Oliver said. “Taking our message of sustainable forestry overseas and expanding our market base means a larger international presence for Pennsylvania’s forest products.”
Pennsylvania has more than 2.5 million acres of forests certified as “well managed” under the standards set by the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The state forest system accounts for 2.1 million of these acres, making it the largest certified forest in North America. The remaining certified forests are owned by private companies or individuals.
Pennsylvania’s state forests passed rigorous third-party evaluations in 1997 and 1998 to receive certification. Scientists and conservationists determined that Pennsylvania protects and manages all values of the state forests using sustainable forestry practices—methods that help ensurethe long-term health and viability of forests for generations to come.
“Pennsylvania is proud of its commitment to its forests and its citizens,” Oliver said.
“By setting an example of sustainable forestry, we are fueling the forest-certification movement in North America and worldwide. By encouraging sawmills, manufacturers and consumers to embrace certification, we ensure that our total forest ecosystem will be used and enjoyed by future generations.”
Certification has helped Pennsylvania compete in the growing niche consumer market for certified wood products. Just as recycled products have become common in the marketplace, environmentally conscious timber consumers look for wood products that originate from a certified forest. With certification, Pennsylvania’s environmentally friendly wood products give Pennsylvania sawmills a competitive edge in the market. Europe is the primary market for certified wood.
Seventeen Pennsylvania manufacturers are certified as “chain-of-custody” manufacturers or distributors of certified products such as furniture, toys and musical instruments.
Representatives of eight of these Pennsylvania companies joined Oliver on the trade mission, as well as Paul A. Lyskava, executive director of the Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council in the Department of Agriculture, and Dr. James R. Grace, Pennsylvania state forester with DCNR.
While overseas, Oliver and the trade delegation strove to identify and develop market opportunities for Pennsylvania companies producing FSC-certified forest products.
A highlight of the mission was the Commonwealth’s participation in the Millennium Forest for Life Conference and Global Trade Fair, the largest international trade fair for certified wood and paper products, June 6-7 in London. Oliver was a presenter on a panel discussion, “A Vision for the World’s Forests,” along with world conservation leaders.
Sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, the conference addressed global trends in certification and challenges for the future. It was conducted simultaneously with a trade fair, attracting thousands of exhibitors representing buyers and sellers of certified wood products.
The delegation traveled to Belgium on June 8, spending two days in Brussels developing business relationships and meeting with conservation officials.
“For our company, our goal is to not only increase the awareness of certification, but, more importantly, promote sustainable forestry practices and their long-term benefits,” said Lee Cummings, President of Oak Hill Veneer, a Bradford County-based supplier of hardwood veneer participating in the trade mission.
Cummings views the mission as an opportunity to increase his understanding of the certified veneer market to better meet consumers’ needs. Oak Hill Veneer sells to kitchen cabinet, window, door, flooring and furniture companies.
In addition to Cummings, the following Pennsylvania company representatives also traveled with the delegation:
- Jerry Ross, plant manager, Oak Hill Veneer, Troy, Bradford County;
- Larry Hickman, president, and Jerry Thomas, sales manager, Hickman Lumber Company, Emlenton, Venango County;
- Edward S. Kocjancic, vice-president, Edward Kocjancic Inc., Kane, McKean County;
- David F. Bubser Jr., Smart Wood Mid-Atlantic Region, St. Marys, Elk County;
- Dale E. Brenner, manager, Firth Maple Products, Spartansburg, Crawford County;
- Lee Richardson, vice-president, and Randy Byers, sales manager, Kane Hardwood, Kane;
- Ted Ochs, vice-president, and Robert Fisher, marketing research analyst, Ochs Consulting Forestry Inc., Shippenville, Clarion County; and
- Jeffrey Lutzner, executive vice-president and COO, Caoba Doors, Philadelphia.
Today, nearly 50 million acres of forestland worldwide have been certified as “well managed” by the Forest Stewardship Council. These 170 forests serve as a resource base to more than 450 chain-of-custody operations in 36 countries on five continents. More than 4,000 certified forest projects are available worldwide.
Pennsylvania is a leading supplier of export-grade hardwood lumber and forest products with exports totaling $796 million.
The United Kingdom is the second-leading importer of Pennsylvania hardwoods, behind Canada, importing $43.2 million. Belgium totals $13.7 million.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, each billion dollars of U.S. exports supports, on average, about 13,000 U.S. jobs. Workers in jobs directly supported by exported goods receive wages 20 percent higher than the national average. Europe accounted for 24 percent of Pennsylvania’s exports in 1998—and is Pennsylvania’s second-largest trading region.
In addition to trade, Europe—particularly Germany and the United Kingdom—is a major player in Pennsylvania’s huge travel and tourism industry. Pennsylvania received nearly 110,000 visitors from the United Kingdom in 1998.
As the fourth-most-visited state for leisure travel in the United States, tourism is the second-leading industry in Pennsylvania. Tourism injected more than $27 billion into Pennsylvania’s economy in 1998, an increase of $1.4 billion from 1997, or 5.6 percent. With a payroll of $9.6 billion, travel and tourism in 1998 employed nearly 465,000 Pennsylvanians, up from 459,000 the previous year.
For more information on the trade mission, check out DCNR’s web site at www.dcnr.state.pa.us.
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