I am writing to convey my very best wishes and sincere thanks to all of you as we wrap up an eventful 2017 and shift our momentum into the next calendar year. 2018 promises to be an exciting year and I’m looking forward to working with you all, as individuals, organizations and experts. Together we can work on the best solutions to help keep our forests healthy for future generations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff at FSC Canada, committee members, volunteers and numerous stakeholders for their valuable contribution this year.
In 2018, the organization will work to expand its impact on the achievement of environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of Canada’s forests. To do this we will:
- Focus on rolling out our National Forest Management Standard and supporting certificate holders through the transition and implementation of the revised standard. The National Standard will offer a leadership platform to advance Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and protection of Species at Risk such as woodland caribou.
- Complete our National Risk Assessment in order to provide a consistent application of our Standards and Policies.
- Begin building awareness and educating consumers about FSC and FSC certified products to make FSC more mainstream.
I’m very proud to be in the position to lead FSC Canada in this important work, but most acknowledge the eminent importance and the need for cooperation and collaboration in the upcoming year.
On behalf of FSC Canada, we look forward to working with you in 2018 as we continue making strides together to keep our forests for all forever.