Verso's First Forest Certification Grant Awarded to Sustainable Resource Institute
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Verso Paper Corp., Memphis, Tenn., USA, reports that the Sustainable Resources Institute (SRI) will be the first recipient of a Verso Forest Certification Grant. The two-year grant will enable SRI to target the owners of small, private, non-industrial properties (2,400 acres or less) in Michigan and help them achieve certification at an affordable cost.
Third-party certification to credible forest management standards advances responsible management practices that keep U.S. forests vibrant and healthy. SRI's first-year goal to certify an additional 15,000 acres has the potential to add up to 35,000 tons of certified fiber in the marketplace, Verso notes.
"We launched the Verso Forest Certification Grant program to increase certified fiber and certified acreage on lands near Verso's three paper mills," said Verso SVP of Manufacturing and Energy Lyle Fellows. "SRI's grant proposal demonstrated not only a solid plan to help us advance this goal, but also strong partnerships with the Michigan Master Logger Certification program, the Michigan Association of Timbermen, and others that provide a strong foundation for success."
SRI Executive Director Don Peterson added that "startup funds provided by the Verso Forest Certification Grant will help us reach out to landowners who already have responsible forest management plans and offer them a more accessible path to affordable certification. We're anxious to get underway and are committed to seeking additional funding from other sources to make sure we're able to continue the terrific certification opportunities that Verso's initial two-year funding provides."
For more information about the Verso Forest Certification Grant Program, contact Greg Barrows at Verso's Bucksport, Maine, mill.
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