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FSC announces 2021 FSC leadership awards winners

Forest Stewardship Council announced its 2021 FSC Leadership Awards. The awards recognize uncommon excellence that advances responsible forest management and forest conservation.

“The depth and breadth of the award winners this year is truly inspiring,” said Chris McLaren, chief marketing officer of FSC US. “With growing concerns about climate change and biodiversity, these leaders show that responsible forest management and sourcing are critical parts of any sustainability initiative.”

The awards honour forest owners, builders, architects, retailers, paper mills, manufacturers, environmental organizations and others who contribute towards responsible sourcing and forest management.

Here are the recipients of the 2021 FSC Leadership Awards:

• Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory at Duke University for 20 years of FSC certification to protect High Conservation Values and educate professionals.
• EcoTensil, Inc. for offering innovative cutlery to consumers and food retailers looking for a sustainable alternative to plastic cutlery.
• Michael Ferrucci for nearly 40 years of forestry leadership and deep expertise in FSC certification, driving positive outcomes in forests across four countries and 33 states.
• Finch Paper LLC for supporting responsible forest management since 1910 – and FSC certification since 2003 – in the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Adirondacks in New York.
• The Forestland Group for being the first Timber Investment Management Organization (TIMO) to earn FSC certification on its entire US portfolio of more than two million acres.
• GreenFirst Forest Products for maintaining FSC certification on over nine million acres of complex boreal landscapes in Ontario and Quebec for more than 15 years.
• Hemlock Printers for becoming the first FSC-certified printer in the Pacific Northwest in 2004 to raise awareness about the importance of intact forest biomes and biodiversity.
• Mattel for achieving at least 95 percent recycled or FSC-certified fibre and wood use across its entire portfolio of iconic toy products and packaging.
• Swanton Pacific Ranch at California Polytechnic State University for using their FSC-certified forest as a teaching tool for future generations of forestry professionals.
• Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue for using FSC certification as a tool to teach ecosystem management in Quebec’s boreal mixed-wood forest. 
• Wagner Forest Management, Ltd. for offering FSC certification to its clients across the eastern US and Canada and participating in more than 80 conservation initiatives.  
• Yale Forests at The Forest School at Yale School of the Environment for 20 years of FSC certification at Yale-Myers Forest on lands they have stewarded for 100 years.