Protecting Minnesota's Forests While Utilizing Biomass Resources

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:06:50 -0500

New factsheet provides overview of guidelines for responsible forest biomass harvesting

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners and the Minnesota Forest Resources Council announce the release of a new factsheet addressing forest biomass harvesting in the state. The factsheet provides a brief overview of the biomass harvesting guidelines, including how they were developed and the management practices they address.

“Minnesota has been on the forefront of responsible biomass use and was the first state to establish harvesting guidelines,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The Biomass Harvesting Guidelines were developed in 2007 by the Minnesota Forest Resources Council (MFRC) and serve as a supplement to the MFRC’s Forest Management Guidelines.

“For nearly 15 years, Minnesota has had a system of guidelines that address wildlife, biodiversity, water quality, riparian areas, soil protections and other concerns,” says Dave Zumeta, Executive Director of the MFRC. “The addition of biomass guidelines in 2007 was an important action to keep Minnesota ahead of the curve on the emerging interest in the use of woody biomass for energy.”

The biomass harvesting guidelines are comprehensive. The guidelines address diverse forest conditions and concerns. A key recommendation in the guidelines is the retention of coarse woody debris, snags, stumps and brushy materials.

“By keeping standing dead trees as well as downed logs and brush, the guidelines protect wildlife habitat, water quality, soil fertility and other important ecosystem benefits and services,” says Fernholz.

The factsheet was developed with funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. The factsheet was developed in support of projects that are exploring the feasibility of biomass energy projects in Northern Minnesota.

The factsheet can be downloaded at the Dovetail Partners website:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/BiomassHarvestingFactSheet0412.pdf

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About the MFRC

The Minnesota Forest Resources Council was established by the Sustainable Forest Resources Act of 1995 to promote long-term sustainable management of Minnesota’s forests.

About Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. Dovetail is a highly skilled team that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs. Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

New Report Dissects the International Green Construction Code

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:02:16 -0500

Highlighting impacts for materials used in commercial construction

(Mpls, MN) – A new report released from Dovetail Partners digests the recently announced International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The report focuses on the impacts the code will have on the selection of building materials for commercial construction projects.

“Made public in March, the code is already impacting construction projects across the country – from Maryland to Arizona and from Washington to Florida,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners. “It is essential that the building materials sector get up-to-speed on the new code and be prepared to meet customers needs for compliance.”

The new Dovetail report provides a concise 14-page summary of the major elements of the code, including the mandatory requirements for Material Resource Conservation and Efficiency.

“The IgCC includes a mandate that boils down to the “55 percent rule”, which requires at least 55 percent of the total building materials be reused, recycled, bio-based, or sourced from with 500 miles of the site,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, lead author of the report and Director of the Responsible Materials Program for Dovetail Partners. “This mandate has the potential to dramatically impact material selection and activities related to material sourcing.”

For project developers that want to avoid the “55 percent rule”, there is the option of completing a whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The LCA must demonstrate at least a 20 percent measurable environmental improvement over alternative designs for selected impact measures.

“The incentive to use whole building LCA is an important step forward in green building design and will help expand project developer’s understanding of the impacts of their design and material selection decisions,” says Wayne Trusty, a co-author on the report and experienced LCA scientist.

The report is available to download from the Dovetail Partners website: http://dovetailinc.org/reports

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About Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners Charts Path for Environmental Leadership

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:44:18 -0500

Board members identify priorities and emerging opportunities

(Mpls, MN) - Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based environmental think tank, recently held their annual meeting with their Board of Advisors. The goal was to evaluate the current state of environmental issues and to identify emerging leadership opportunities and priorities. Along with staff, associates and the Board of Directors, Dovetail’s Board of Advisors has nine members that provide diverse perspectives on a range of important environmental topics.

“Dovetail Partners is committed to being a trusted source of environmental information and to delivering science to decision-making,” commented Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners, “Our Advisors are an important sounding board for our work and a source of valuable expertise that helps us prepare to lead on emerging issues.”

The two-day meeting held in St. Paul, Minnesota on April 2nd and 3rd resulted in the identification of seven key areas of interest for Dovetail Partners, including green building, carbon science, certification, biomass energy, food systems, water sustainability, and the re-emergence of industrial centers as the economy recovers.

“We recognize the potential for dynamic change in the coming years, and the environment will be a pivot point for these changes. To chart a positive direction it is absolutely essential that science be the foundation of our policies and actions,” said Fernholz.

More information and the complete membership of Dovetail Partners’ Board of Advisors is available at: http://www.dovetailinc.org

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About Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners Grows Expertise in LCA and Carbon

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:23:53 -0500

New team members bring expertise in life cycle assessment and carbon standards

(Mpls, MN) - Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based environmental group, announces the addition of new team members that add expertise in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon standards science. Dovetail Partners has added Wayne Trusty as an Associate and Nick Martin as a member of their Board of Advisors.

Wayne Trusty is an expert on the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to the built environment. He has worked on a wide spectrum of subjects, including the environment, forest industry economics and policy, water resources, transportation, energy policy and markets, and regional development. Having served as Project Manager of ‘The Athena Project’ from its inception in 1991, he was co-founder of the not-for-profit Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, incorporated in 1997, and served as its President and as President of the Institute’s U.S. affiliate Athena Institute International until March 2011. Mr. Trusty’s work has been dedicated to helping meet the environmental challenges of the future and to making sustainability an operational reality. He is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Calgary School of Environmental Design and is a frequent speaker on LCA at sustainable infrastructure and building conferences, and as faculty for architectural and other professional association continuing education programs.

Nick Martin is Chief Technical Officer with American Carbon Registry (ACR) where he is responsible for ensuring the environmental integrity of issued offsets. He leads the development of protocols in improved forest management, afforestation/reforestation, REDD+, agricultural fertilizer management, rice sector greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, fugitive methane in the oil & gas sector, wetland restoration, truck stop electrification, livestock/grazing management and other areas. He is managing ACR’s work in agricultural GHG mitigation, including protocol development, pilot projects with farmers, and coordination with the California Air Resources Board. Nick previously worked for Xcel Energy, where he led analysis of federal climate legislation, conducted biomass fuel supply analysis, and developed a pre-compliance carbon offset pilot program. He earlier managed Winrock International’s terrestrial carbon research under the US Department of Energy’s West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership and conducted forest carbon research for the US Forest Service and State of California. He also worked for the Zuni Indian Tribe in New Mexico, where he created and managed the Zuni Forest Products Enterprise to conduct hazardous fuel reduction and forest health projects on Tribal, US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands.

“We are excited to have Wayne and Nick join our efforts and contribute their expertise toward ensuring Dovetail Partners remains a trusted source of environmental information that will continue to deliver science to decision-making,” stated Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

New Report Explains Chain-of-Custody for Certified Wood Products

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:28:21 -0600

Requirements for FSC, SFI and group certification are addressed

(Mpls, MN) – A new report from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, explains chain of custody certification requirements for forest products companies. The new report helps clarify requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). It also discusses options for group certification.

One of the reasons for releasing a new report on chain-of-custody was to address the recent changes made in the certification standards. The FSC has introduced revised criteria for group chain-of-custody that expands opportunities for small businesses in the U.S. and can reduce costs from 50-80% for qualifying companies.

“There are about 30,000 companies around the world that are participating in chain-of-custody certification. This is just a small fraction of the companies that are part of the forest product supply chain. For the certified product marketplace to function efficiently, more companies need to be engaged,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and lead author of the report.

The report was made possible through support from the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA).

“Our members are interested in better understanding their company’s certification options and what is involved with the process so they can make an informed decision about whether or not to participate,” says Gary Vitale, President of NAWLA. NAWLA has approximately 500 members in the United States and Canada.

“Certification can be a complex and costly process, especially for small businesses. Group certification can help overcome these challenges through the help of a group manager and with costs distributed across group members,” says Fernholz.

For more information, and to access the full report, visit: http://www.dovetailinc.org

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About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. Dovetail is a highly skilled team that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs. Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

About the North American Wholesale Lumber Association
NAWLA is an international trade association of over 500 leading forest products and building material industry wholesalers, manufacturers and industry affiliated companies throughout the United States and Canada. NAWLA, whose wholesaler and wholesaler-processor members' combined annual sales exceed $30 billion, is dedicated to enhancing professionalism and efficiency throughout the lumber distribution channel and to the responsible use of forest resources.

New Report from Dovetail Partners Digests the Carbon Cycle

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:23:54 -0600

Starting from square one to explain what it all means

(Mpls, MN) - A new report from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, examines the carbon cycle and the storage of carbon. This report starts from square one in understanding the building blocks of carbon science and the policy impacts.

Carbon is a basic chemical component of all living organisms and many non-living substances. Carbon exists in plants, soils, the air, people, buildings, and many other things.

The places where carbon is stored are called “carbon pools.” The largest such pools are the oceans, the land and vegetation, and the atmosphere. When a pool gains more carbon than it loses over a period of time, it is called a “carbon sink.” Carbon is continually cycled between various “carbon pools” and “carbon sinks.”

“When it comes to understanding the problem posed by fossil-fuels, what it boils down to is that for millions of years that fossil carbon was captured and stored in the earth, and today there is no natural mechanism for either capturing the full amount of carbon released through its burning, or for restoring that carbon to the carbon pool where it originated. The net effect is an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” states Dr. Jim Bowyer, lead author on the report.

Forests, on the other hand, both emit and absorb carbon in a two-way flow. Biogenic carbon is captured and stored in plants, trees, soils and other renewable materials. This natural carbon cycle is ongoing, balanced and a result of the fundamental principles of renewable materials.

“The carbon storage and re-capture differences between renewable and non-renewable materials are dramatic. These differences are sometimes overlooked or discounted in discussions of environmental policy,” reports Bowyer.

For more information and to access the full report, click here: http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailCarbon101Jan2012.pdf

Dovetail Partners Releases New Collection of Environmental Reports

admin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:26:43 -0600

Collection includes 13 new reports on the environment

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners, an environmental think-tank, has released a collection of all of their team’s new reports from 2011. The printed and bound collection includes all of the latest reports in their original full color format and complete with all tables, figures, and citations.

This is the first time Dovetail has offered a bound collection of their annual report series. The 130+ page collection includes 13 reports on a full range of environmental topics and current issues.

Environmental topics addressed in the collection include environmental product declarations, life cycle analysis of bioenergy, carbon sequestration, urban forests, working lands, geothermal energy and certification standards.

Orders are now being accepted for the Dovetail 2011 Report Collection. Sold individually this collection would cost more than $90.00. The Dovetail 2011 Report Collection is available for $39.95 (+S&H). Orders can be placed via the order form available at the Dovetail Partners website (www.dovetailinc.org).

This 130+ page, full-color bound collection of articles is a perfect reference source, current issues backgrounder, or gift for client or colleague.

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About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is a non-profit (501c3) organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.
http://www.dovetailinc.org

New Report Examines Forest Carbon Relationships

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:38:50 -0500

Findings show managed forests provide greater benefits

(Mpls, MN) – A new report from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, examines forest carbon relationships and the multiple roles that forests play in carbon and climate mitigation.

The new report summarizes an analysis completed by the Society of American Foresters. “A key finding is that sustainably managed forests can provide greater carbon mitigation benefits than unmanaged forests” says Jim Bowyer, a co-author of the SAF analysis and author of the Dovetail summary report. Specifically, notes Bowyer, “a policy of active and responsible forest management is more effective in capturing and storing carbon than a policy of no management.”

Bowyer points out that responsible management, including the use of wood products provides carbon benefits while also delivery a wide range of other benefits, including jobs and economic opportunities.

An important outcome of the research review is the finding that energy and environmental policies need to be based on an understanding of the multiple benefits of forests and wood products.

About one-half the dry weight of wood is carbon. Carbon is also contained in the bark, branches, roots, and leaves of trees, and within forest soils. In the growth process, trees capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; combine it with water drawn from the ground, and produce sugars that are then converted into wood. Oxygen is released as a by-product.

Another important consideration that is highlighted in both reports is that atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are increasing primarily because of the release of fossil fuel-based carbon. Fossil fuel-based carbon is not restored to the earth on anything less than a geologic time scale.

“The difference between this, and carbon releases when wood from sustainably managed forests are used in producing energy is fundamental,” says Bowyer, who notes that carbon flows from forests and other vegetation, the oceans, and the atmosphere, are an ongoing part of the natural carbon cycle.

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About the Society of American Foresters
The Society of American Foresters (SAF) is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession in the United States. http://safnet.org

FSC-US and Alliance renew commitment to Family Forest Certification

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:40:37 -0500

(Mpls, MN) – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-US and the FSC Family Forests Alliance have renewed their agreement to work together on common goals for supporting family forest certification.

“Small holders continue to be under-represented in the FSC forest certification program,” said Ian Hanna, FSC-US Director of Business Development. “We are continuing to make every effort to increase the engagement of family forest owners in the FSC program and our relationship with the FSC Family Forests Alliance is an important component of this effort.”

Since 2006, the FSC Family Forests Alliance has provided a national mechanism for bringing together individuals and organizations committed to promoting responsible forest stewardship through FSC standards. The Alliance provides a forum for communication, cooperation, and information sharing.

“The Alliance has worked to shine a light on the challenges that family forest owners face when pursuing certification and we’ve worked with our partners to create solutions and demonstrate working models of successful family forest engagement,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, and current Secretariat of the FSC Family Forests Alliance.

Participants in the Alliance include family forest owners, private companies, technical service providers and diverse organizations that support the Alliance’s goals. Participants work together to pursue issues of common interest, learn from one another, and aim to enlarge the community of landowners and small businesses practicing responsible forestry.

The renewed Memorandum of Understanding between FSC-US and FFA reaffirms each organization’s commitment to advance family forest certification in the U.S. Through collaborations in the past, the organizations have worked together on the review of the FSC’s forest management certification standards and the development of tools that are specific to family forests. Among recent joint products are an FSC Group Operations Manual template and a policy recognizing management plans written to current federal Forest Stewardship Program guidelines as being consistent with FSC family forestry indicators.

“With the launch of the new FSC forest management standard and the inclusion of Family Forest Indicators for streamlining the audit process, there are new opportunities to provide services and benefits to woodland owners,” said Fernholz.

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For more information about FSC-US: http://www.fscus.org

For more information about the FSC Family Forests Alliance: http://www.familyforestalliance.org

Report on Phase I of Cook County Biomass Energy Study Presented

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:21:26 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 SEPTEMBER 2011
Contact: Kathryn Fernholz, katie@dovetailinc.org, (612) 333-0430
Cheryl Miller, camiller@umn.edu, (651) 653-8133
George Wilkes, gwilkes@boreal.org , (218) 387-2137
Gary Atwood, garwood@boreal.org, (218) 387-2852

Report on Phase I of Cook County Biomass Energy Study Presented

(Grand Marais, MN) A report on the findings from phase I of the Cook County Biomass Feasibility Project was presented to the Cook County Commissioners during a work session Tuesday, September 20, at the Cook County Courthouse, Grand Marais. Community residents were also present, and the open forum encouraged by the commissioners led to a productive exchange of ideas and opinions. The afternoon session was followed in the evening by a similar presentation to the public at large.

The report, titled “Forest Biomass Heating and Electricity in Cook County, MN” has been prepared for the Cook County Board of Commissioners and is the product of nearly ten months of effort by a study team from Dovetail Partners, Inc., the University of Minnesota, LHB Inc., and with oversight from the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP). It presents the results of the first phase of a two-phase study that explores the options, opportunities and implications of using forest biomass as an energy source for the heating of homes, businesses and public buildings in Cook County with the added possibility of generating electricity as a by-product.

Dennis Becker - University of Minnesota, Dept of Forest Resources was the principal presenter, with contributions from Katie Fernholz of Dovetail Partners, Inc; Cheryl Miller, the project manager; and Chuck Hartley, an engineer with LHB, Inc, Duluth.

The first phase of the study and subject of this report focuses on three things: 1) the availability of biomass for energy production; 2) the technologies and system configurations which may be suited to the range of potential applications around Cook County; and 3) a financial evaluation of these systems relative to fossil fuel alternatives.

The report offers numerous findings, including:

· Sufficient biomass is currently generated from county timber harvest residues and Firewise treatments to fuel district heating in Grand Marais or at facilities around the county.

· Biomass fuel suitable for smaller systems are cordwood, clean chips produced from bolewood, and pellets.

· Annual fuel and operating expenses for biomass heating systems are lower than for conventional fossil fuel systems, but would require upfront costs to convert to these fuels.

· Small systems for residential heating, medium-sized systems suitable to a large resort, and larger systems capable of heating business and public buildings in Grand Marais have payback periods between 5 - 11 years.

· A large system providing combined heat and electrical power (CHP) for Grand Marais costs considerably more than heating only.

Comments from community members expressed a real concern over the impact a greater use of biomass for energy would have on the health of the forest.

Lonnie Dupre, Grand Marais resident and local contractor, shared his observations from traveling in Finland, a county drawing heavily on its forests for biomass.

“I hiked through their forests and there’s nothing left on the ground,” said Dupre. “There’s no wildlife and nothing left to return nutrients to the soil.”

Becker acknowledged that practices in Finland and other Scandinavian countries represent an intensive approach to harvesting, and one which is prohibited in the U.S. Current Minnesota harvesting guidelines require that a minimum of 33% of slash and logging debris remain on the site.

“In the Cook County study, we’ve gone beyond that” said Becker, “and assumed 50% remains.”

Even at this level, he added, the study indicates that current harvest levels would supply sufficient biomass to fire the system configurations that could use the slash and logging debris as fuel.

Concern was also expressed about the burning of biomass and the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere. Both Becker and Miller were quick to agree that carbon storage and sequestration are major considerations when talking about biomass energy.

As Miller explained, the second phase of the project will take a detailed look at the short- and long-term environmental, economic and social implications of biomass energy in Cook County. The impact on forest ecology and the production of greenhouse gases are just two of the factors being examined.

Phase II of the project is being funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.

During this phase, an expanded analysis will be conducted of long-term feasibility, impacts, and management needs for community-scale and other small bioenergy applications. Ely, Minnesota, a community already moving forward with a biomass energy project, is participating in this effort along with Cook County. Following presentation of this information to the study participants, the decision-making tools used to assess these types of projects will be shared with communities, land managers, policymakers, investors, and others interested in the long-term prospects and viability of locally produced bioenergy.

Both Miller and Fernholz emphasized the need for community participation in the phase II assessment of impacts and trade-offs.

The report executive summary, presentation, and full report are available online at www.co.cook.mn.us and will also be available at www.dovetailinc.org and www.cookcountylep.org.

Crow Wing County Land Services Department Invites Public Comment on Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan

admin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:29:37 -0500

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2011
CONTACT: Kirk Titus, 218-824-1115

Crow Wing County Land Services Department Invites Public Comment on Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan
30-day Comment Period opens September 26

Crow Wing County is soliciting additional public comments on the draft Comprehensive Trails Plan, which has been developed over the past two years through an extensive public planning process. Written comments on the draft plan will be accepted by the Land Services Department during a 30-day period from September 26 to October 25, 2011.

The plan can be accessed through the county website: www.co.crow-wing.mn.us.

Note: The plan is posted at the county website’s home page. The direct link to download the file is:
http://www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/crowwing_internet/home/docs/CWCCompRecTrailsPlan0914draft.pdf

Copies of the plan also are available from the Land Services Department in Brainerd during business hours or by contacting the office at (218) 824-1115.

Comments may be emailed to: landservices@co.crow-wing.mn.us (Please include “Comp Trails Plan” in the subject line.), or mailed/faxed to:
Crow Wing County Land Services Department
Attn: Comp Trails Plan
Land Services Building, 322 Laurel Street, Suite 12
Brainerd, MN 56401
Fax: (218) 824-1070 Fax

The Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan focuses on the recreation trails and facilities under the direct management of the County. The document reports the outcomes of the plan development process and focuses on near-term priorities for addressing trail management opportunities on these lands.

Components of the plan include establishing a trail proposal and planning process, activities for trail monitoring and enforcement, evaluation criteria for trail review, and strategies for improved trail linkages. Crow Wing County Land Services Supervisor, Kirk Titus, stated, “The Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan aims to ensure that Crow Wing County is able to meet and manage recreation opportunities while maintaining the other forest benefits and services that residents and visitors value.”

Following the public comment period, the plan will be revised in response to comments and prepared for review by the County Board. The goal is to finalize the plan before the end of the year.

The County manages 103,000 acres of forest land for timber production and diverse recreational opportunities for multiple users. The sale of timber at public auctions during the year funds the County’s management of these lands, while providing revenues to local communities. County forest lands are managed to strict environmental standards established by both the Sustainable Forestry Initiative™ and the Forest Stewardship Council™ certification standards.

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Dovetail Partners Launches Speakers Bureau

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:10:38 -0500

Access to expert speakers on diverse environmental topics

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, has launched a Speakers Bureau to provide access to experts on diverse environmental topics and to deliver information to a full range of audiences.

“Our team of speakers includes experts on a full range of topics – including sustainable forestry and land management, environmental policy, responsible consumption, green building, green marketing, environmentally-focused business management, systematic assessment of environmental impacts, urban forestry and agriculture, bio-energy and many other topics,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners.

Launched this summer, the Speakers Bureau provides online access to information about available presenters. A list of potential presentations, areas of expertise and keynote topics are provided. Speaker biographies and brief YouTube videos provide additional information.

“These speakers offer a wealth of information and engaging presentation styles and skills. Dovetail’s mission is to be a trusted source of environmental information, and sometimes it helps to deliver the information in person, “ noted Fernholz.

The current line-up of Dovetail Speakers includes:

Kim Carlson is a high profile socially responsible business leader and eco-prenuer. She is founder and owner of five companies that use earth-friendliness as their driving force. She was a pioneer in the green housing movement in the early 90's and since has been a keynote speaker for corporations, universities, governments and consumer groups on sustainability.

Jim Bowyer, Ph.D is an international expert on responsible materials, life cycle assessment, green building, and emerging issues related to our environment. Jim is a frequent speaker to audiences of architects, builders, policy makers and other general audiences.

Steve Bratkovich, Ph.D has 36 years of forestry and forest products experience. He has worked for many years on urban wood utilization including an emphasis in helping communities and businesses turn fallen street trees into valuable wood products. Steve also has a background in marketing and strategic planning; primary and secondary wood processing; and sustainable forest management.

Jeff Howe, Ph.D is an expert on creating Learning Organizations and on implementing organizational change. He has over 20 years of successful hands-on leadership experience in industry, including time as CEO and President of several companies recognized as leaders in environmentally and socially responsible practices.

Kathryn Fernholz is a forester and an expert on trends in sustainable forestry and the evolution of forest certification. She frequently speaks to business audiences about engaging in certification opportunities and to general audiences that have an interest in caring for and understanding our forest resources.

Visitors to the Speakers Bureau website can use online forms to inquire about speaker availability and booking details.

For more information about Dovetail Partners and to access the Speakers Bureau, visit:

http://dovetailinc.org/speakers

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Funding Approval Gives Go Ahead to Bioenergy Project

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:03:50 -0500

(Grand Marais, MN) With an end to the state government shutdown, work can now move forward with the second phase of the Cook County Biomass Energy Feasibility Study. As part of “Supporting Community-Driven Sustainable Bioenergy Projects”, this effort will continue and expand on the first phase of the biomass energy study. The project is being undertaken by Dovetail Partners, Inc. with funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.

“We are excited about moving forward with this project and working with our partners to investigate bioenergy potentials for Minnesota’s communities,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

In a letter of support submitted to the LCCMR in March, 2011, Cook County Board of Commissioners Chair Jim Johnson had described this project as “a vital part of our overall effort to develop bioenergy.”

The project will consist of two steps. First, an expanded analysis will be conducted of long-term feasibility, impacts, and management needs for community-scale and other small bioenergy applications being proposed in Ely and Cook County. This information will be presented to these communities to assist them in determining the viability of proposed projects. Following this, the decision-making tools used to assess these types of projects will be shared with communities, land managers, policymakers, investors, and others interested in the long-term prospects and viability of locally produced bioenergy. The funding approved for the project is $150,000 over a two-year period.

Phase I of the Cook County biomass energy feasibility study is nearing completion. It presents detailed analysis of biomass fuel types and current availability, existing and potential energy demand, and a broad spectrum of biomass energy scenarios that could be applied in Cook County. A report on Phase I work is scheduled for presentation to the Cook County Commissioners on September 20.

“The report will answer important questions about capitol and fuel costs, payback periods, and other aspects of converting to biomass energy,” said Cheryl Miller, biomass study project manager. “It will present a range of options and help people in Cook County understand the advantages and disadvantages of each.”

Phase II will complement the earlier report by offering a broader, long-term analysis of the environmental, social and economic impacts which may result from increased biomass utilization in the county. Similar information will be developed for the Ely, Minnesota area in support of their proposed biomass-fuelled, CHP (combined heat and power) facility. Collectively, the data generated will provide a regional picture of locally-produced bioenergy and its associated impacts, and will create a framework and tools which can be applied by other communities contemplating a conversion to biomass as an energy source.

Both the Cook County Biomass Energy Feasibility Study and the LCCMR-supported project are being led by Dovetail Partners, Inc., a Minnesota-based non-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

For more information about Dovetail Partners, Inc., visit http://dovetailinc.org

For information about the Cook County Biomass Energy Feasibility Study, follow the link http://dovetailinc.org/cookcounty or http://cookcountylep.org/new/Biomass_Study.html

Dovetail Partners Releases New Report on Bioenergy

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:20:38 -0500

Research shows well-managed forests better than carbon neutral

(Mpls, MN) – A new report from Dovetail Partners evaluates the life cycle impacts of forest management and bioenergy. The report reviews new research findings addressing the potential role of forests in bioenergy development in the context of sustainable forest management.

“A comprehensive review of research conducted over the past decade reveals convergence in findings that sustainably managed forests can be ‘better than carbon neutral,’ yielding a range of useful products, including energy, while at the same time providing significant carbon storage and emission reduction benefits,” said Dr. Jim Bowyer, Director of Dovetail’s Responsible Materials Program and lead author for the report.

There is great interest today in expanding the use of wood as a source of energy. The growing interest in wood energy has led to discussions about long-term forest sustainability and the role of forests in carbon mitigation and climate change. Given the many values of forests it is important to carefully evaluate the carbon implications of using wood for bioenergy.

“The potential for increased energy production from forest biomass is but one piece of a larger picture involving a full range of products and services from sustainably managed forests,” says Bowyer. He notes that forests managed so as to balance product outputs with ecosystem needs and social values maximize the rate of carbon capture, serve as a stable repository for carbon, and provide useful materials that store carbon outside of the forest. The net result is greater carbon capture and storage than can be achieved in an unmanaged forest.

“Management of a renewable resource creates unique opportunities for sustainability. Trees are renewable resources. Enough wood has been grown in the United States in the past 60 years to build more than 90 million homes - and at the same time the volume of wood within America’s forests has increased by more than 50 percent. Our forests have continued to grow through management, tree growth and renewal,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners.

The article from Dovetail Partners provides an overview of forest bioenergy evaluations and a brief summary of the recent report Life Cycle Impacts of Forest Management and Wood Utilization on Carbon Mitigation: Knowns and Unknowns (1).

The report from Dovetail Partners is available online at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org

The direct link to download the report is:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailLCABioenergy0711.pdf

(1) Lippke, B., Oneil, E., Harrison, R., Skog, K., Gustavsson, L, and Sathre, R. 2011. Life Cycle Impacts of Forest Management and Wood Utilization on Carbon Mitigation: Knowns and Unknowns. Future Science 2(3): 303-333.
(http://soilslab.cfr.washington.edu/publications/Lippke-etal-2011-CarbonLifeCycle.pdf <http://soilslab.cfr.washington.edu/publications/Lippke-etal-2011-CarbonLifeCycle.pdf> )

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About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is a Minnesota-based non-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.
http://www.dovetailinc.org

Dovetail Partners Introduces New Summer Interns

admin — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:16:22 -0500

(Mpls, MN) - Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, is proud to introduce new summer interns that have joined the team to support current programs and projects.

Adam Zoet, Renewable Energy Policy Intern: Adam is a Masters of Public Policy graduate student at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and has an interest in solving complex environmental policy issues through innovative policy alternatives that promote both environmental and economic benefits. Adam’s internship is supported with funding provided by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs’ Community-Based Research Program (CURA CAP). Adam’s internship includes researching biomass energy policies and developing diverse case studies.

Kelsey Reinke, Green Building Intern: Kelsey is a senior in the Bachelor of Design in Architecture program at the University of Minnesota. Kelsey is interested in sustainable design and the relationship between architecture and the environment. Kelsey serves as Vice President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Kelsey’s internship includes investigating green home renovation, building connections with architecture and green building organizations and organizing Dovetail’s media resources.

Olivia Allen, Communications Intern: Olivia is a junior at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse and majoring in Communications with a minor in Professional Writing. Olivia has worked as the Events and Publicity Aide for the UW-La Crosse College of Business and is interested in further developing her business communication skills. Olivia’s internship includes supporting the growth and success of Dovetail’s monthly e-newsletter and preparing for Dovetail’s annual fundraising campaigns in August and November.

Grace Giampietro, Environmental Policy and Education Intern: Grace is a junior at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities majoring in Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management. Grace is interested in teaching environmental science or attending law school to learn more about environmental policy. Grace’s internship includes researching the history and evolution of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and supporting Dovetail’s Environmental Education Program.

“Our internship program is an important part of our work and it is exciting to have the opportunity to work with such knowledgeable, enthusiastic and skilled individuals,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

Xcel Energy Foundation Invests in Environmental Education

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:20:05 -0500

New Grant to Support Activity-Based Environmental Education

(Mpls, MN) – The Xcel Energy Foundation recently announced the recipients of grants in the focus area of the environment. Included in this year’s list of recipients is Dovetail Partners for efforts to support the use of activity-based environmental education.

“It is important to align environmental education efforts with the goals that teachers have for their classrooms, including the objective of providing activity-based learning opportunities,” says James Garness, Senior Foundation Representative for the Xcel Energy Foundation in Minnesota.

Dovetail Partners’ environmental education programs include the F.R.E.E Network as an online resource with information and materials for students and teachers. The network is available at: http://www.freeenetwork.org . Dovetail also hosts ForestInfo.org as a portal of information about forest resources and the environment.

“As a teacher for more than 30 years, I know how important it is to provide resources that teachers and students can get excited about and use in the classroom,” says Janet Bratkovich, Director of Environmental Education for Dovetail.

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About Xcel Energy Foundation
Formed in 2001 as the philanthropic arm of our company, Xcel Energy Foundation oversees more than $15 million in funded charitable activities of Xcel Energy and its subsidiaries.

About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

Model Forest Dedicated in Aitkin County, Minnesota on June 9th

admin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:17:06 -0500

Photo Caption: Attendees of the model forest dedication, including Peter Bundy, Regional Forest Guild Coordinator; Katie Fernholz of Dovetail Partners and Forest Guild Board Member; Senator Tom Saxhaug; Aitkin County Commissioner Anne Marcotte, Mark Jacobs and staff of the Aitkin County Land Department, citizen members of the Forestry Advisory Committee, Guild members and others.

(Aitkin, MN) – On June 9th the first Forest Guild Model Forest in the Midwest was dedicated in Aitkin County, Minnesota.

Citizen members of the Forestry Advisory Committee and others were on hand for the dedication. Senator Tom Saxhaug was there to congratulate the county and expressed support for recognizing the value and importance of forestry in Minnesota.

“Forest managers in the Midwest have come forward and done some of the greatest forest management in the country,” remarked Senator Saxhaug. “I can’t think of a better place than Aitkin County, Minnesota to be the first place in the Midwest to be recognized by this Model Forest Program.”

The dedication included a tour of the Cornish Model Forest and a discussion of the responsible forest management practiced by the Aitkin County Land Department. Aitkin County Commissioner Anne Marcotte remarked on the link between the model forest dedication and designation of 2011 as the International Year of Forests.

“The goal of recognizing this as the International Year of Forests is to promote a broader understanding of the importance of forests and to support sustainable forest management,” said Commissioner Marcotte. “Dedication of this model forest is part of this larger global effort and hats-off to the Land Department for doing such a wonderful job.”

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About the Forest Guild
The Forest Guild is a professional organization of forest stewards, associated natural resource professionals, and affiliates who are passionate about restoring and sustaining the integrity of our forests while meeting the needs of the communities that rely on them.

The Forest Guild Model Forest program recognizes places, people, and relationships that foster sustainable forest management and demonstrate successful silviculture.

http://www.forestguild.org/modelforest.html

Webinar to Address Bioenergy and Climate Policies and the Impact on Existing Forest Products Industries

admin — Mon, 23 May 2011 19:02:17 -0500

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners and the Wood Education and Resource Center will be delivering a free webinar on June 28th addressing impacts of bioenergy development on the forest products industry, including implications of existing and proposed policies and incentives related to climate change and bioenergy production.

The webinar will report the results of the project “Potential Impacts of Climate and Energy Policy on Forest Sector Industries: Providing Incentives for Bio-energy While Protecting Established Biomass-Based Industries” completed by Dovetail Partners with funding from the Wood Education and Resource Center, a USDA Forest Service facility.

The lead researcher on the project and presenter for the webinar will be Dr. Jim Bowyer, Director of Dovetail Partners’ Responsible Materials Program and an international expert on biomass industries and bioenergy developments.

The webinar will address the impacts of policy initiatives on existing industries, including forest products manufacturers of composite panels, hardwood lumber, and paper, and will also touch on impacts to the forest harvesting sector. Potential long-term implications of rising energy prices – whether resulting from market forces or public policy – will also be discussed.

Bowyer acknowledges that all industries will need to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions going forward, and that there is a proper role for public policy in encouraging these developments. But, he says, “It is very important that policy instruments be developed with attention to the potential for unintended consequences.”

“The potential for missteps in bioenergy policy is particularly great since biomass has considerable utility, both as an essential raw material for established value-added industries, and as a source of energy,” noted Bowyer.

The study was developed in recognition of the fact that proposed policies and incentives have the potential to impact the global competitiveness of key industries and long-established biomass-based industries. The project report examines the European experience with bioenergy subsidies and incentives, identifies public policy initiatives that have the potential to impact the domestic wood products industry, and considers how bioenergy policies and programs might be modified so as to achieve optimum results for bioenergy producers and established wood-based industries alike.

The results of the project will be shared through a final report and the upcoming webinar, with the goal of increasing understanding on the part of both policymakers, the hardwood industry, and the forest products industry generally, of the impact of recently enacted and proposed policies.

The webinar is scheduled for 1:00PM Central/2:00PM Eastern on June 28th. Information about registering for the webinar is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/bioenergywebinar. The webinar is free, but participants are asked to pre-register by June 24th. Registered participants will receive instructions for joining the webinar via email on June 27th.

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About the Wood Education and Resource Center
The Wood Education and Resource Center, located in Princeton, WV is a USDA Forest Service facility. The WERC mission is to facilitate interaction and information exchange with the forest products industry to enhance opportunities for sustained forest products production in the eastern hardwood forest region of the United States.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/

Aitkin County, Minnesota Designated as the Forest Guild’s Newest Model Forest

admin — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:19:21 -0500

(Aitkin, MN) - Forests within Aitkin County, Minnesota and managed by the Aitkin County Land Department have been designated as the newest Model Forest through a program of the Forest Guild.

“The designation of the Aitkin County Model Forest was a unanimous decision made by the local field reviewers and the national review committee,” reported Mike DeBonis, Executive Director of the Forest Guild. “The Cornish and Libby forests in Aitkin County are managed to produce marketable forest products on a sustained basis, balancing timber harvest and growth, and community needs.”

The Guild has designated 20 Model Forests across the United States. Aitkin County is the first Model Forest in the Lake States region of the upper Midwest.

"The designation was a multi-step process including an on-site field evaluation by Forest Guild members from our region," said Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner for the Aitkin County Land Department. "We are pleased with the recognition of the work we do as public land mangers and hope that this designation helps to highlight the overall high-quality forest management practiced in the Lake States region"

The Forest Guild is a professional organization of forest stewards, associated natural resource professionals, and affiliates who are passionate about restoring and sustaining the integrity of our forests while meeting the needs of the communities that rely on them. The Forest Guild Model Forest program recognizes places, people, and relationships that foster sustainable forest management and demonstrate successful silviculture.

"This recognition clearly demonstrates the exemplary skills, dedication and commitment Aitkin County Land Department and the Forest Advisory Committee employs in their responsibilities toward Aitkin County's forests, citizens and future generations,” commented Anne Marcotte, Aitkin County Commissioner.

Two areas of Aitkin County forests have been designated as model forests, including the Cornish Model Forest and Libby Model Forest. These areas have significant conservation values including rare ferns, salamanders, and birds or generally have high value as wildlife habitat. These areas also have value as demonstration areas for educational purposes, both for the general public and natural resource professionals.

“Aitkin County has a strong track record of responsible forest management, and this designation is an important recognition of their commitment and the quality of the forest management,” stated Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, and Forest Guild Board Member.

More information about the Aitkin County Model Forest is available at:
http://www.forestguild.org/Aitkin.html

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The Forest Guild Model Forest program recognizes places, people, and relationships that foster sustainable forest management and demonstrate successful silviculture.

http://www.forestguild.org/modelforest.html

Dovetail Partners’ Executive Director Joins the Board of the Sustainable Furnishings Council

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:35:10 -0500

(Minneapolis, MN) – Ms. Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, has joined the Board of Directors for the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

“We are excited to have Kathryn join our board and the knowledge and experience she brings from the forest sector will help with meeting our member’s goals of understanding the environmental footprint of furnishings and how that footprint can be improved,” said Jeff Hiller, a founding Board Member and current President of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

The Sustainable Furnishings Council promotes sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. SFC members take immediate steps to minimize carbon emissions, waste stream pollutants, un-recyclable content and primary materials from unsustainable sources from any product platform under their control.

Kathryn is a forester by training and has worked on development and forest management issues in a range of roles. Her background includes work with natural resource inventories, comprehensive planning, environmental impact assessments and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Kathryn is also an experienced forest certification lead auditor.

“I will aim to contribute my knowledge of forests and forest resources to the work of the SFC, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support the SFC and directly engage with the interests of their staff, members and other board members,” said Fernholz.

Kathryn has been a leader in the forest sector through her service as Chair of the Minnesota Society of American Foresters and her appointment to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. Kathryn currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, the Forest Guild, and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Alumni Society.

The SFC added three additional new board members:

- Mitchell Gold, co-founder of design-oriented upholstery manufacturer and retailer Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams
- Peggy Burns , owner of Circle Furniture in Acton, Mass.
- Mary Jane Grigsby , American Society of Interior Designers Fellow and president-elect of the National Council of Interior Design Qualification.

SFC members support the triple bottom line and lead the industry in developing awareness of best practices throughout their supply chains. Members accomplish this goal by increasing their purchases from suppliers that show continual improvement toward meeting our high standards.

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About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is a not-for-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.
http://www.dovetailinc.org/

About the Sustainable Furnishings Council
The Sustainable Furnishings Council is a non-profit balanced coalition of industry players founded at High Point, NC in October 2006 to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. The SFC recognizes the overwhelming scientific consensus that our world is experiencing dangerous global climate change. SFC members acknowledge the tremendous urgency, and take immediate steps to minimize carbon emissions, waste stream pollutants, un-recyclable content and primary materials from unsustainable sources from any product platform under their control.
http://www.sustainablefurnishings.org

Dovetail Partners Commends USDA Support for Green Building

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:52:15 -0500

(Minneapolis, MN) – Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, strongly endorses today’s announcement by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recognizing wood as a green building material.

“Wood is a natural material that is locally-grown throughout the United States, and wood is an important green building material,” said Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners. “This announcement supports our forests, America’s family forest owners and our rural communities.”

The USDA announced new efforts to embrace wood as a green building material, including a preference for wood in new construction. The USDA also announced new research initiatives focused on technologies that utilize wood in building, and a search for demonstration projects that showcase innovate use of wood in non-residential buildings.

“Recent projects throughout North America have demonstrated that wood is a 21st century material that can be used in the most advanced and creative construction projects,” said Jim Bowyer, Director of the Responsible Materials Program within Dovetail Partners.

New technologies for wood increase the opportunities for building with wood. Wood naturally stores carbon and wood construction offers a carbon-positive result at a savings in overall cost. In British Columbia, nearly 100 six-story wood-frame buildings are under construction on under consideration.

The majority of wood harvested in the United States is grown on private forestlands, including lands owned by millions of families. Supporting the use of wood in green building allows America’s forest owners to contribute to the green economy while supporting local communities and businesses. Across the U.S., wood product businesses support over 1 million jobs and provide billions in economic growth in rural communities. With strong wood products markets, forest owners are able to keep their forests as forests.

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Dovetail Partners Releases Map of Tree Planting Efforts

admin — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:19:12 -0500

(Minneapolis, MN) – Dovetail Partners has released a map and directory of tree planting programs and efforts. The information is available at the Dovetail website.

“With Arbor Month, Earth Day – and garden season, just around the corner – this resource can help identify opportunities to get involved with planting trees where you live,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The interactive map includes more than 100 organizations located across the U.S. that provide resources, information, and assistance for people interested in planting trees. Each organization offers opportunities to get involved, whether it’s planting trees or making donations for trees and seeds.

“The interactive map provides visitors with information about each tree planting effort, including locations and website addresses. In order to access information you can just click on the map’s symbols,” says Ryan Radzak, Research Intern with Dovetail Partners. “It’s a great resource for people interested in making a contribution to their neighborhood.”

Visitors are invited to nominate additional tree planting programs and efforts that could be added to the map. Information about additional efforts can be sent to Dovetail Partners or submitted via the webpage.

For more information and to view the map:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/tree-planting-programs

Crow Wing County Land Services Department Completes Public Comment Process for Recreation Trails Planning Project

admin — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 08:30:04 -0600

(Brainerd, MN) The Crow Wing County Land Services Department has completed the public comment process for the draft comprehensive trails plan that was prepared at the end of year one of a two-year trail planning project. The Response to Comments document and revised plan are available from the County and at the project webpage.

The draft plan was presented and made available to the public in December 2010. The public comment period remained open through January 21st 2011. During the comment period the draft plan was downloaded from the project webpage 183 times and printed copies of the plan were also available to the public. A total of 17 individuals provided comments on the draft plan.

“We appreciate the time and effort Crow Wing County residents put into the planning process, and we are committed to responsibly managing public lands for diverse uses, including forest management, recreation and other public benefits,” commented Kirk Titus, Land Services Supervisor.

The public comments received on the draft plan included support for the process and recommendations in the plan, suggestions for additions as well as concerns expressed about the future of recreation trail opportunities on county lands.

“The comments demonstrate the importance of continuing to make information about land management activities available to the public and the benefits of providing opportunities for feedback and input into the planning process,” said Katie Fernholz, project coordinator.

The Crow Wing County Land Services Department is responsible for the management of 103,000 acres of tax-forfeit lands in the county. These lands are distributed throughout the county and the management practices used by the county have been certified as meeting the standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®). The County has completed a review of High Conservation Value Forests as required by the FSC standards.

Consistent with the goals of the Crow Wing County Comprehensive Plan to provide “diverse recreational opportunities”, the lands managed by the County offer many existing recreation trail opportunities, including hiking, biking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, off-highway motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, equestrian trails, canoe routes and other forms of recreation. The comprehensive trails planning project addresses priorities for the management of diverse recreation trails and trail opportunities on the lands managed by the Crow Wing County Land Services Department’s Public Land Management office.

The comments received on the plan have been summarized and the Response to Comments document is available from the County and at the project webpage. The draft plan has been revised in response to comments that were received and is also available from the County and at the project webpage.

The webpage for the project is:
http://dovetailinc.org/content/crow-wing-county-recreation

The direct link to download the Response to Comments document is:
http://dovetailinc.org/files/CWCPlanPublicCommentSummary022411.pdf

The direct link to download the revised plan is:
http://dovetailinc.org/files/CWCCompRecTrailsPlan022411.pdf

New Report on Ecosystem-Based Approach to Forestation

admin — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:34:07 -0600

Expanding forests would provide wildlife habitat, water quality protection and other environmental and economic benefits

(Mpls, MN) A new report from Dovetail Partners addresses the environmental and economic benefits of forestation opportunities in Minnesota. The report was developed in partnership with diverse experts and interests. Reviewers and contributors to the study included representatives from Minnesota Forest Resources Council, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, Ducks Unlimited, Land Stewardship Project, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and UPM – The Biofore Company.

“This report expands upon an analysis completed by the Minnesota Forest Resources Council that focused on the carbon sequestration benefits of a million acres of new forest in Minnesota,” says Dave Zumeta, Executive Director of the Minnesota Forest Resources Council.

“There are multiple benefits of forestation beyond carbon sequestration, especially if approached with diverse forest types in mind,” says Dr. Sarah Stai, an ecologist with Dovetail Partners and lead author on the report. “In addition to an increase in closed-canopy forests, Minnesota would benefit from planting more urban trees and restoring more open-canopy habitats such as savannas.”

Trees are an obvious component of the state’s forests but are also important to habitats within Minnesota’s prairie-forest transition zone.

“The emphasis on trees, not forested acres, is really innovative to this discussion and an important part of this analysis,” responded Randal Dell from Ducks Unlimited.

The benefits of expanding forests in Minnesota include statewide opportunities. More than 5 million acres are identified as suitable for forestation based upon an analysis that included removing from consideration certain important grassland areas and open habitats that should not be converted to tree cover.

“It is important to focus forestation efforts on areas where forests can provide the best and most appropriate wildlife habitat benefits, within the context of the whole ecosystem,” says Daren Carlson, Research Scientist with the Division of Ecological and Water Resources at the Minnesota DNR.

“After reading this report I found myself much more encouraged that forestation on this scale is possible. The description of efforts in other states, the listing of resources available, and the overlap with the objectives of the state’s constitutionally dedicated funds made me think this is something we could actually get done in Minnesota,” shared Steve Betzer of Minnesota Power.

Recent reports show Minnesota planting about 24,000 acres of trees per year. Other states around the country, many smaller than Minnesota, plant at least 100,000 acres per year and have utilized diverse incentive and cost-share programs to help private landowners participate.

The goal of replanting forests has been pursued with success in Minnesota in the past through programs such as the Soil Bank, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and Agricultural Conservation Program.

“Historically, we reached high numbers of tree production in the local nurseries during the CCC era of the 1930s. Now some 75 years later it is both possible and economical to get the nursery production needed. The true test will be to get buy-in from private landowners,” stated Keith Matson, History Chair for the Minnesota Society of American Foresters.

“We believe that an ecosystem-based approach to forestation in Minnesota is a feasible goal and that existing resources can be used in large part to accomplish large-scale restoration,” concluded Stai.

The report entitled “Maximizing the Environmental and Economic Benefits of a Million Acres of Forestation in Minnesota Through an Ecosystem Restoration Approach” is available at the Dovetail website (http://www.dovetailinc.org).

The direct link to download the report is:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailMillionAcres1210.pdf

Family Forests Alliance Applauds New Certification Standards

admin — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 09:49:38 -0600

(Mpls, MN) The FSC Family Forests Alliance, a national collaborative working to support certified family forests, has identified increased adoption of the new FSC-US Forest Management Standard as a top priority for the new year.

In July 2010, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) announced new national standards for forest management certification. The new standards include special considerations for better serving small forests and family forest owners. The "Family Forest Indicators" reflect the fact that some FSC requirements may not apply to individual family forests. The standard still takes into account the potential cumulative impacts of larger properties and groups. In some cases new Indicators have been developed to address conditions unique to small ownerships.

“There are 10 million family forest and private landowners in the United States, and the FSC program has developed standards that consider the unique circumstances of small properties and their owners’ priorities,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and member of the Family Forests Alliance.

Since 2007, the FSC Family Forests Alliance has been championing the development of family forest standards as a part of the standards revision process of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in the United States.

“The new family forest standards will make FSC certification more accessible for private woodland owners in the United States,” says John Gunn, FSC-US Board Member, Senior Program Leader with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and a member of the Family Forests Alliance.

In the new year, the Family Forests Alliance will be working to support increased use of the new certification standards and providing information about the changes that family forest owners can expect.

More information about the Alliance is available at:
http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

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About the FSC Family Forests Alliance
Since 2007, the FSC Family Forests Alliance (FFA) has pursued four primary purposes:
Advocate for FSC policies, public policies, and procurement policies that better serve FSC-certified family forests.
-   Operate as a forum to share information and strategies for successful models of certification, forest management, policy development, and market development.
-   Provide more visible networks and membership opportunities for family forest owners who feel underserved by existing forest management models and landowner organizations.
-   Work collaboratively to develop new resources and tools for group certification programs.

http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Dovetail Partners Releases Report Addressing Benefits of Forestation

admin — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:32:14 -0600

Expanding forests would provide wildlife habitat, water quality protection, and other environmental and economic benefits

(Mpls, MN) A new report from Dovetail Partners addresses the environmental and economic benefits of forestation opportunities in Minnesota. The report illustrates that a holistic, ecosystem-based approach will maximize the benefits of a forestation initiative. The report expands upon an analysis completed by the Minnesota Forest Resources Council, which evaluated the carbon sequestration benefits of planting trees in Minnesota.

“The Dovetail report shows that there are multiple benefits of forestation beyond carbon sequestration, especially if approached with diverse forest types in mind,” says Dr. Sarah Stai, an ecologist with Dovetail Partners and lead author on the report. “In addition to an increase in closed-canopy forests, Minnesota would benefit from planting more urban trees and restoring more open-canopy habitats such as savannas.”

The benefits of planting forests in Minnesota include statewide opportunities. More than 5 million acres are identified as suitable for forestation based upon an analysis that included removing from consideration important grassland areas and open habitats that should not be converted to tree cover.

“We believe that a million acres of forestation in Minnesota is a feasible goal and that existing resources can be used in large part to accomplish large-scale forestation,” concluded Stai.

Recent reports show Minnesota planting about 24,000 acres of trees per year. Other states around the country, many smaller than Minnesota, plant at least 100,000 acres per year and have utilized diverse incentives and cost-share programs to help private landowners participate.

“Adding a million acres of forest, about a 6% increase in Minnesota’s forest area, would aid in restoring lost habitats, replanting riparian and lowland forests that protect water quality, and creating job and economic growth opportunities,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The direct link to download the report is:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailMillionAcres1210.pdf

Dovetail Partners Inc. Teams Up with The Conservation Fund to Discover and Support Green Entrepreneurs

admin — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:09:04 -0600

The ShadeFund™ provides small loans to promising green entrepreneurs that are putting America’s resources to work in responsible new ways

Minneapolis, Minn. (Dec. 28, 2010) – The Conservation Fund <http://www.conservationfund.org/> announces Dovetail Partners Inc. <http://www.dovetailinc.org/> as the first Field Partner for The ShadeFund <http://www.shadefund.org> ™, a new on-line program designed to spur a greener economy by financing entrepreneurs who use natural resources creatively and responsibly. As a Field Partner, Dovetail will help identify innovative forest-friendly small businesses that could use a leg up.

The Dovetail team aims to foster sustainable and responsible use of natural resources – especially forests – by providing comprehensive information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. With this expertise, Dovetail is well positioned to help identify sustainable forestry and forest products businesses eligible for ShadeFund loans.

“Dovetail is a respected authority on ecological concerns for resource-based industries, and we are proud to have them on board to help us find the best forest-related businesses in the country,” said ShadeFund’s director, Rick Larson. “Together we can create conservation solutions that spur economic development and reward environmental and social responsibility.”

“This is an exciting partnership that combines the shared values and expertise of The Conservation Fund and Dovetail in supporting sustainable forestry and forest products,” said Dovetail Partner’s Executive Director, Kathryn Fernholz. “We are excited about the possibilities that ShadeFund helps to create.”

Established by The Conservation Fund with a lead grant from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, ShadeFund pools contributions from individuals, companies and foundations across the U.S. to fund green entrepreneurs so they can grow their businesses and create jobs. The loans range from $5,000 to $50,000 and can be used for working capital, as well as for acquisition of materials, supplies, equipment and certification. As entrepreneurs repay their loans, these funds are recycled to provide new loans to green entrepreneurs.

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About The ShadeFund

The Conservation Fund’s ShadeFund™ program stimulates creative conservation and the green economy by investing in sustainable forestry and forest products, eco-tourism, natural and organic agriculture, and small-scale renewable energy. An investment from inaugural sponsor Mercedes-Benz USA is funding ShadeFund’s first loans to Connecticut-based City Bench and Bluebird Hill Farm in North Carolina. To apply for a ShadeFund loan or support an entrepreneur visit: www.shadefund.org

About Dovetail

Dovetail is a highly skilled team that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs. Dovetail Partners provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Dovetail excels at solving complex business problems and helping responsible firms to become successful. We also help regions define programs that increase the job creation and the job quality of resource-based industries. For more information, visit: http://www.dovetailinc.org

About The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America's land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6.7 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. We're a top-ranked conservation organization, effective and efficient.

Draft Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan Available for Public Review

admin — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:52:26 -0600

Comments accepted through January 21, 2011

(Brainerd, MN) The Crow Wing County Land Services Department has completed the first year of a comprehensive recreation trail planning process for all county managed lands. The plan will guide recreation trail management.

The plan was developed with the assistance of Dovetail Partners. The plan reflects the input of Land Services Department staff, a citizen advisory group, the County Board, public input, and public meetings held over the past year.

The plan has been posted online at:
http://dovetailinc.org/files/CWCCompRecTrailsPlan121310.pdf

The plan can also be viewed at the Land Services Offices:
Land Services Bldg
322 Laurel Street
Brainerd, MN 56401

More information about the plan and recreation opportunities in Crow Wing County is available at:
http://www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/land_services/index.html

Comments about the plan are invited through January 21, 2011 and may be submitted to:

Crow Wing County Plan
c/o Dovetail Partners
528 Hennepin Ave, Suite 202
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tel: 612-333-0430
Fax: 612-333-0432
Email: info@dovetailinc.org

For more information, visit:
http://dovetailinc.org/content/crow-wing-county-recreation

New Project to Explore Biomass Energy for Northern Minnesota

admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:07:55 -0600

(Grand Marais, MN) The Cook County Board of Commissioners in conjunction with the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP) has authorized a project to explore the feasibility of community-based biomass energy production. The emphasis of the project will be on understanding the short and long-term environmental, social, and economic impacts of utilizing woody biomass in northeastern Minnesota.

A public meeting on the project will be held at 7:00 PM on Thursday, December 9th, in the Cook County Courthouse Commissioners Room in Grand Marias.

The project is being led by Dovetail Partners, a Minnesota-based non-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

“This project will help the community make a well-informed decision about moving forward with a biomass energy program,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners.

Additional collaborators on the project include researchers from the University of Minnesota and members of the Cook County Local Energy Project. The project is part of a larger study proposal submitted to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) addressing community bioenergy feasibilities.

“The research will identify the full spectrum of biomass energy technologies that could be applied in Cook County, including different scales of operation, different systems and designs, and individual facilities as well as combined heat and power. The project will also assess ownership and organizational options and financing for bioenergy facilities,” says George Wilkes, CCLEP member.

The feasibility and impact of biomass energy systems will be assessed regionally by collecting information about a full range of available sources of biomass and the potential annual volumes. Available biomass could include waste wood, right-of-way clearing and tree removals, materials generated by the FireWise program and wildfire mitigation, residue from businesses, residual from commercial timber harvesting, biomass from pre-commercial harvests, and other resources that may be identified. University of Minnesota researchers will develop site-specific estimates of current and future forest biomass feedstocks under a variety of forest management scenarios and supply targets.

“Additional considerations impacting supply, including material and transportation costs, equipment limitations, timing of supply, storage issues, available labor force and the long-term sustainability of biomass energy systems in Grand Marais and Cook County will be assessed,” says Dennis Becker, researcher with the University of Minnesota.

Gary Atwood of Lutsen has been hired as the local coordinator of the project. He is a 17-year resident of Cook County with a strong background in technical communications.

“This is a comprehensive project that is being designed to answer many questions citizens have about biomass energy potentials in this region,” Atwood said.

The project will produce a mid-term report in late 2011 and full project results in 2012. Additional information and updates about the project will be made available at the project webpage:
http://dovetailinc.org/cookcounty

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Dovetail Partners to Investigate Carbon Storage Benefits of Urban Wood Products

admin — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:08:50 -0600

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners has initiated a project to evaluate and quantify the carbon storage benefits of products made from urban trees. The project is supported through a grant awarded by the Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service.

The project, Carbon Storage Factors for Urban Hardwood Forest Products, will develop specific carbon storage factors for urban hardwood products including a range of solid wood products plus mulch and fuel.

“Previous research has estimated the life-cycle impacts of forest products from traditional and rural regions and this new project will enhance our understanding of the carbon benefits of urban wood products,” says Steve Bratkovich, project manager from Dovetail Partners.

This study will also address the question of whether urban hardwood products contribute to the net reduction of both emitted and atmospheric CO2. Existing research on commercial products plus anecdotal urban timber harvesting experience suggest that urban hardwood products may reduce CO2 at least as much if not more than commercial (rural) forest products.

The project will use examples from the Twin Cities in Minnesota and Cincinnati, Ohio to describe the process of converting urban trees to lumber and to develop tools that estimate the carbon sequestration benefits.

“The results of the project will highlight how urban wood products are produced and utilized in these two regions and this can provide a basis for evaluating carbon impacts in other parts of the country,” says Sam Sherrill, a collaborating researcher on the project and internationally recognized expert on urban wood utilization.

The project was initiated in June 2010 and final results will be available in 2011. A final report will be prepared and made available. A webinar will also be hosted to share the outcomes.

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About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is a Minnesota-based non-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

Dovetail Partners to Investigate the Impacts of Bio-Energy Policies and Incentives on Biomass-Based Industries

admin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:01:48 -0500

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners has initiated a project to evaluate the impacts of federal and state policies and incentives related to promoting bio-energy production, while also considering potential impacts of rising energy prices. The investigation will specifically address impacts of bioenergy subsidies and financial incentives, as well as rising fossil fuel costs, on existing biomass-based industries.

This project, Incentivizing Bio-energy While Protecting Established Biomass-Based Industries will improve the existing biomass-based industry’s understanding of the opportunities and threats of bioenergy incentives and investments and rising fossil fuel costs in order to identify win-win scenarios.

“This project will shed light on the interactions between established industries and emerging policies and trends,” says Jim Bowyer, project manager with Dovetail Partners.

The project is supported through a grant awarded by the Wood Education and Resource Center, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, U.S. Forest Service.

“The results of the project can help inform policy decisions as well as actions taken by forest sector and bio-mass based industries,” says Bowyer.

The project was initiated in June 2010 and final results will be available in mid-2011. A final report will be prepared and made available. A webinar will also be hosted to share the outcomes.

Dovetail Partners in Key Roles at Joint UNECE Timber Committee/SWST Meeting

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:39:45 -0500

(Mpls, MN) - Dr. Jim Bowyer of Dovetail Partners will be the keynote speaker for the joint meeting of the Timber Committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Society of Wood Science and Technology. The event will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from October 11-14 and brings together delegates from forty countries representing governments, industry, research organizations, non-governmental organizations and the media.

Both Dr. Bowyer and Kathryn Fernholz of Dovetail Partners are contributing authors to this year’s Forest Products Annual Market Review. Dr. Bowyer is the lead author in the policy arena, and Ms. Fernholz is a contributing author and will present findings regarding forest certification and certified wood products at the October event.

Fernholz has extensive experience in forest certification auditing in North America and is Executive Director of Minneapolis-based Dovetail Partners, a nonprofit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. Bowyer directs Dovetail’s Responsible Materials Program and is a professor emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering; he is also past president of the Society of Wood Science and Technology and an Elected Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science.

The UNECE Timber Committee and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) European Forestry Commission have been releasing the Forest Products Annual Market Review since the 1950s. The Review covers forest products markets and policy developments in the three UNECE subregions (North-America, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States), as well as their major trading partner, China. The theme of the Forest Products Annual Market Review, 2009-2010 is “Innovation for structural change recovery”.

The annual UNECE Timber Committee Market Discussions will be held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva.

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For more information:

http://timber.unece.org/index.php?id=302

New Initiative to Assist Landowners with Ecosystem Market Opportunities

admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:46 -0500

(St. Paul, MN) – The Great Lakes Forest Alliance has launched a project to encourage forest landowners to participate in new and emerging markets, including ecosystem markets.

“Market opportunities in areas such as bioenergy, carbon, water quality, and recreation, offer exciting opportunities that may support the different ways landowners want to use their forests, while also supporting environmental care,” says Mike Prouty, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Forest Alliance.

Funding for the project is through the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry, US Forest Service. Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit environmental organization, is a collaborator on the project.

“This project will provide a network of resources to help landowners understand the management considerations and market potentials of these ecosystem opportunities,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

Over the next two years, the initiative will include development of an information toolbox as well as focus group meetings to explore landowner interests, questions and needs for information and assistance. A regional Private Lands Summit is planned as a capstone for the project to help deliver the toolbox information and engage with landowners throughout the upper Midwest.

“The Great Lakes Forest Alliance serves the forests and forest-based communities throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Ontario. With our partners we work collaboratively to address the shared interests and opportunities of this region, and working across borders helps us recognize our inter-connectedness,” says Prouty.

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About the Great Lakes Forest Alliance
The Great Lakes Forest Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization established to foster and facilitate cooperative efforts that enhance management and sustainable use of public and private forest lands in Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, and Wisconsin.
http://www.greatforests.org/

Open House for Phase II of Northwoods Regional ATV Trail System

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:47:16 -0500

August 24th 7:00-9:00 pm at Quadna Mountain, Hill City, Minnesota

(Aitkin, MN) A public open house will be held on Tuesday, August 24th from 7:00 – 9:00 pm to provide information about Phase II of the Northwoods Regional ATV Trail System. The open house will be held at Quadna Mountain Resort, near Hill City, Minnesota.

The Northwoods Regional ATV Trail System includes the development of an extensive, first-rate ATV/OHV trail in Aitkin and Itasca Counties, Minnesota. The trail is designed to be environmentally sensitive, economically beneficial, and community supported. The complete project will include construction of at least 70 miles of new trail.

Planning for the Northwoods Regional ATV Trail System began in 2007 with initial Phase I routes opening in 2010. The planning process for the Phase II routes will include public meetings, direction from a 19-member local oversight committee and completion of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW).

The Phase II routes being explored include proposed ATV trail routes connecting the North Soo Line to the Blind Lake and Rabey Line trails and the Alborn Trail to the Rabey Line; in northern Aitkin County and southern Itasca County.

More information about the project is available at:
http://www.northwoodstrail.net

Dovetail Partners Adds Director of Environmental Education

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:24:11 -0500

Janet Bratkovich joins the team with thirty years of education experience

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners has announced the addition of Janet Bratkovich as Director of Environmental Education.

Dovetail Partners is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

Dovetail’s environmental education programs include the FREE Network, a site for teachers and students at all grade levels to learn more about forests and the management of forests (http://www.freenetwork.org). Dovetail also markets and maintains information, publications, DVDs and videos produced by the Temperate Forest Foundation (http://dovetailinc.org/tff).

Janet Bratkovich brings more than thirty years of educator experience to the Director position. Janet’s experience includes elementary education and adult learning in New Hampshire, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio and Minnesota. Most recently she was employed by the Anoka-Hennepin School District (Minnesota) as a 4th grade teacher specializing in science and mathematics.

“There are great opportunities to bring science and nature into the classroom and to grow the role of teachers and students in understanding natural resources,” says Bratkovich.

As a Math-Science Teacher Leader (MSTL) Janet collaborated with educators and administrators to align instructional materials and methods to Minnesota Department of Education state standards. Inquiry-based instruction was a focus of both her classroom and committee work.

Janet also has worked for the Minnesota History Center as a school programs facilitator and instructor and as a County Extension Educator (4-H) for the University of Minnesota. Volunteer activities include Literacy Training and Teaching and coordinating adult volunteers to enrich reading and high-potential school programs.

“Janet’s skills and experiences inside and outside of the classroom make her a valuable asset to the Dovetail team and our mission of being a trusted source of environmental information,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

Janet’s hobbies include gardening and cooking which led to publication of her specialty mushroom cookbook, Shiitake Sampler. Janet has a B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of New Hampshire and a M.Ed. in Reading from Northeastern Oklahoma State University.

Crow Wing County Invites Public Input on Forest Assessment

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:32:59 -0500

Comment period closes October 1st

(Brainerd, MN) – The Crow Wing County Land Services Department invites public comment on the High Conservation Value Forest Assessment.

As a next step in its certification achievement, the County is completing a process to identify its High Conservation Value Forests, in conjunction with its Recreational Trails Comprehensive Plan process. This strategic long term planning effort will become an effective tool for County resource managers to identify future recreational opportunities and meet the forest management objectives to protect, enhance and restore High Conservation Value Forests. The FSC certification standard includes a process for identifying, managing and monitoring high conservation value forest areas, including old-growth forests, water source protection areas or cultural and historic sites and this process is helping inform the comprehensive trails plan.

Kirk Titus, Land Services Department Supervisor for Public Land Management said, “The HCVF assessment reinforces our commitment to sustainable forestry and has identified several special and unique areas within our land base. Through this process, we can effectively manage, protect and enhance these natural resources.”

The Land Services Department manages 103,000 acres of tax-forfeit land for timber production and diverse recreational opportunities for County residents and visitors. Since 2008, these lands have been third-party certified and recognized as responsibly managed. A requirement of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standard is the completion of a High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) Assessment. The Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan and HCVF assessment will help address the challenges of land management while planning for quality long term recreation experiences. The HCVF process includes four parts: an assessment of forest resources, public consultation, management planning, and monitoring.

Titus noted, “Our mission is to be responsible stewards of the land, and use the best forest management practices to sustain a healthy, diverse and productive forest for future generations. Forest certification will help us achieve this important management mission.”

The draft assessment, available for public review, outlines the requirements of the assessment and the high conservation values that are included in the FSC standard. The written assessment is available to download online and can be viewed at the Land Services Department offices. The 60-day public comment period closes October 1st.

Comments on the High Conservation Value Forest Assessment should be directed to:

HCVF Comments
c/o Dovetail Partners
528 Hennepin Ave, Suite 202
Minneapolis, MN 55403
612-333-0430 (tel)
612-333-0432 (fax)
info@dovetailinc.org (email)

The Crow Wing County High Conservation Value Forest Assessment can be downloaded at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/CWCHCVFAssessmentDraft7210sm.pdf

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More information about the assessment and planning process is available at:

http://dovetailinc.org/content/crow-wing-county-recreation

USGBC Appears Poised to Miss Opportunity for Certification Development

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:00:51 -0500

4th Comment Period on Forest Certification Benchmark Opened

(Mpls, MN) - On June 14, 2010 the US Green Building Council opened its 4th comment period on proposed revisions to its forest certification benchmark, extending the revision process into its 22nd month. While continuing to focus attention on responsible sources of wood, the USGBC has yet to benchmark the known environmental and social problems linked to extraction and processing of other basic materials used in construction, including steel, concrete, and plastics.

“The drawn-out forest certification benchmark revision process could, and should, have focused on development of a generic benchmark standard for construction materials in general,” notes Dr. Jim Bowyer, Director of the Responsible Materials Program within Minneapolis-based Dovetail Partners.

When certification programs were developed for forests and wood, the original focus was on imported tropical wood as the product category most often linked to environmental degradation, illegal activity, corruption, and social upheaval. A similar problem exists for non-wood construction materials. The worst examples of mining for metals and other materials can be found in the tropical countries and where less rigorous environmental standards, laws, and law enforcement exist. The United States is an importer of vast quantities of these materials.

“Because of a lack of oversight as to where materials other than wood originate or how they are produced, there is little doubt that some materials finding their way each day into “green” buildings are anything but green,” says Bowyer. He also points out that the current system can actually encourage use of materials with known severe negative environmental impacts.

Certification of building materials is no longer an abstract concept. Certification of wood is well established, as are mechanisms such as source separation and chain of custody for ensuring the veracity of certified content.

“If the elements of responsible production are important,” observes Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, “it is time to ask why such assurances are not expected for building materials in general, and why the nation’s leading green building program hasn’t taken action to address this issue. There is nothing standing in the way of USGBC initiating the development of a generic building materials standard.”

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Further information regarding responsible materials for green building and a template for generic standard development can be found at:

Certification of Building Materials: Important or Not?

http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailCertMat0209.pdf

USGBC Forest Certification Benchmarks: An Opportunity for the Development of Certification Standards for All Building Materials

http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailUSGBC1009.pdf

Dovetail Partners Expands Team to Include Ecologist

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:53:34 -0500

New associate brings 15 years of field biology experience

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners announces the addition of Dr. Sarah Stai as Associate Ecologist. Dr. Stai has over 15 years of experience as a field biologist, research scientist, educator, and consultant; including work in diverse landscapes, from the prairie potholes of Manitoba to the Brazilian Pantanal.

“Sarah’s experience and expertise adds an expanded dimension to the Dovetail team, including her work with waterfowl and wading bird ecology, wetland buffer dynamics, aquatic plant ecology, and grassland and tropical forest biodiversity,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director.

Upon transitioning from academia to consulting, Sarah applied her analytical and communications skills to environmental impact assessments, regulatory compliance, and sustainable development education programs involving innovative stormwater management, green building, and conservation design.

“My work has included analysis of wildlife impacts for proposed wind farms, watershed restoration and outreach planning, environmental review and permitting for biofuel production, and research and development of innovative treatment for industrial wastewater,” says Stai.

Dr. Stai’s current interests include land use, water resources, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Sarah is self-employed as a freelance writer and editor and an ecological and educational consultant. She earned a BS in Ecology from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in Ecology from the University of Miami. She is a Certified Ecologist with the Ecological Society of America and a LEED Accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council.

Urban Wood Utilization Webinar June 2nd

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 23:26:17 -0500

Event Explores the Twin Cities Case Study

(St. Paul, MN) – A free webinar to be held June 2nd (1pm Central) will explore the building blocks that support the responsible use of trees removed from urban areas.

The event “Building an Urban Wood Utilization Program: A Twin Cities Case Study” will explore the economic, environmental and social conditions that have supported the expanded responsible use and recovery of wood products and trees in the Minneapolis and St. Paul communities.

“There are about 4 billion urban trees in the U.S., with another 70 billion trees growing in metropolitan areas. As urban land in the U.S. expands, so do the urban forests. Estimates of removals, due to pests, wind storms, construction, hazard trees, etc., range from 16 to 38 million green tons per year – and even that lower value estimate is comparable to total annual harvests from America’s National Forests,” says Steve Bratkovich, Director of Recycling and Reuse for Dovetail Partners and webinar presenter.

The one-hour event is free but space is limited. Participants are asked to reserve their spot before May 27th by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/urbanwood

Questions? Contact: Dovetail Partners at 612-333-0430 or info@dovetailinc.org This program is supported by funds provide by the USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry, Wood Education and Resource Center.

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Event to Address Opportunities for Forests in Carbon Markets

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:22:26 -0500

Workshop and Field Tour June 9th-10th

(Mpls, MN) - The global carbon market grew to $136 billion with 8.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide traded in 2009. The global forest carbon markets were roughly $40 million. According to the Department of Energy, domestic demand for forest carbon offsets could grow at least 100 times by 2020.

On June 9th and 10th, the “Working Forests & Carbon” event will be held at the Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota and will address the expanding opportunities for forestry carbon projects.

“Forests store carbon and forestry practices to enhance carbon storage are good forestry. I think that exploring the carbon markets as a means to reward good forestry is a worthwhile venture; regardless of your views on climate change,” said Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner for the Aitkin County Land Department and co-host for the event.

A full-day workshop on June 9th will provide information addressing carbon storage in harvested wood products, forest management for carbon storage, and the details of developing forest-based offset projects. On June 10th, a field tour will view responsible forest management practices that enhance carbon storage.

“Forests have a critical role to play in meeting goals for carbon storage – including opportunities to support responsible forest management and the use of wood as a carbon storing building product,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization and event co-host.

Joel Levin from the Climate Action Reserve and Nicholas Martin of the American Carbon Registry (ACR) will participate in the workshop and present information about their offset protocols and markets.

“The non-profit American Carbon Registry and its parent Winrock International have been working since the mid-1990s to set the bar for transparency, environmental integrity, and quality in forest carbon offsets,” says Nicholas Martin, Chief Technical Officer for the American Carbon Registry and workshop presenter. “ACR looks for solutions that provide flexibility for the broadest possible participation in carbon markets, while ensuring that forest offsets are of the highest quality, additional to business as usual, permanent, net of leakage, third-party verified, and designed to deliver environmental and economic co-benefits.”

According to Joel Levin, VP of Business Development for the Climate Action Reserve and workshop presenter, “Because of their natural process for sequesting carbon, forests can definately play a natural - and integral - role in providing offset credits for a carbon market. The key is to ensure forest offset projects are real, additional, verifiable, enforceable and permanent. This kind of assurance can be achieved through transparent, rigorous project standard."

Mike DeBonis, Executive Director of the Forest Guild, a national professional forestry organization, will address forest management considerations. Dr. Jim Bowyer of Dovetail Partners will highlight opportunities to take advantage of the unique carbon-storing properties of wood, while also gaining recognition in carbon markets.

“Forest managers need to understand the implications of carbon and climate change policy and make use of sustainability guidelines that can balance diverse needs,” says DeBonis.

“Global climate protocol negotiators recognize that carbon comprises about one half the mass of dry wood in long-lived wooden structures, furniture, finished goods and a myriad of other durable products made of wood. This unique characteristic of wood provides a unique and significant opportunity for wood to be part of a carbon solution,” says Bowyer.

The Working Forests and Carbon event will be held at the Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade Minnesota from June 9th -10th and is organized by the Aitkin County Land Department, The Forest Guild, Northeastern Area - US Forest Service, and Dovetail Partners.

More information about the event and online registration is available at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/working-forests-carbon

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Draft Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan Available for Public Review

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:19:28 -0500

Plan to be presented at Public Meeting on May 21st

(Aitkin, MN) The Aitkin County Land Department has completed the development of a comprehensive recreation trail plan for all county managed lands. The plan will guide recreation trail management.

The plan was developed with the assistance of Dovetail Partners. The plan reflects the input of Land Department staff, a citizen advisory group, the Parks Commission, public input, and public meetings held last year.

The plan has been posted online at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/ACLDDraftRecPlan032410Reduced.pdf

The plan can also be viewed at the Land Department Offices:
209 2nd St. NW Room 206

Aitkin, MN 56431

The plan will be presented at a public meeting on Friday, May 21st from
6:00-8:00pm at the Aitkin City Hall (109 1st Avenue NW, Aitkin, MN 56431).

More information about the plan and recreation opportunities in Aitkin County is available at:

http://www.co.aitkin.mn.us/Departments/Land/recreation.html

Comments about the plan are invited through May 31, 2010 and maybe submitted to:

ACLD Rec Trail Plan
528 Hennepin Ave, Suite 202
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tel: 612-333-0430
Fax: 612-333-0432
Email: info@dovetailinc.org

For more information, visit:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/aitkin-county-minnesota-comprehensive-recreation-trail-plan

Green Building and Green Marketing Webinar on April 1st

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:42:34 -0500

Event Examines Green Strategies and Trends for Construction Industry

“In recent years, more and more companies have been getting on the green bandwagon, and this trend is impacting the playing field and adding new dimensions to the competitive marketplace. To understand what is happening with certified wood, we need to look at certified product development in other industries,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, an international expert on green building programs and responsible materials, and presenter for the April 1st event.

The webinar series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, offers online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers. The webinars began in January and have addressed green building, forest certification and chain of custody certification, and marketing of green products, including certified wood. The webinar series has addressed market trends and linkage to the green building movement, differences between certification programs, chain of custody certification, and sourcing and selling certified products.

Customers are often looking for advice and assistance in sourcing green materials and are interested in the attributes of a green organization.

“The construction industry is being affected by a below-the-radar but rapidly developing corporate social responsibility movement, a legal environment exemplified by the recently enacted Lacey Act, environmentally preferable purchasing programs, and emerging global trends,” says Bowyer.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

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About FPMDI

One of the functions of the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI) is to conduct educational programs for the benefit of the forest products industry. FPMDI programs are available to individuals and firms nationwide. You can either register for one of FPMDI's scheduled seminars or workshops, or can arrange for a customized seminar or workshop to be held at a location of your choosing. http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI.html

About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is 501(c)(3) organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. http://www.dovetailinc.org

March 23rd Webinar to Address Minnesotas Natural Resource Values

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:47:34 -0500

(Cloquet, MN) - The University of Minnesota’s Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative will host a webinar from 10-11 am CST on Tuesday, March 23rd to address the question “What Do Minnesotans Value About Forests and Forestry?” Registration for the event is available online for $30 ($20 for SFEC Members).

In November 2009, a bipartisan research team conducted a survey to improve the understanding of Minnesotan’s environmental values and priorities. Collaborating in the research were the Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP), Dovetail Partners and state leaders who participated in the “Seeing the Forests and the Trees” study tour organized by the Blandin Foundation.

The survey explored viewpoints and values related to forests and forest-derived benefits like wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and wood products and jobs. The webinar on March 23rd will cover the survey findings in detail, including the finding that Minnesotans strongly value well-managed forests.

The presenter for the webinar is Lori Weigel of Public Opinion Strategies. For more information and to register, visit: <http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=819249>

Forest Certification Webinar on March 11th

admin — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:03:53 -0600

Event Examines Competing Programs and Trends

(St. Paul, MN) – A series of webinars offered by the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI), Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, and Dovetail Partners will address key aspects of green marketing and related trends. The series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, includes five online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers. The fourth webinar in the series will take place on March 11th and will examine the competing forest certification programs and trends in forest certification.

“Forest certification was developed to address key concerns about forest sustainability, and over the past decade, has evolved into a complex and competitive marketplace for green forest products,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, an experienced forest certification auditor and the webinar presenter.

The webinar on March 11th will examine the fundamentals of the forest certification programs being used in the United States and Canada, the similarities and differences in their requirements, and the trends and impacts of their adoption.

“The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Tree Farm and PEFC are all active in the U.S. marketplace and offer specific opportunities and trade-offs for land managers and companies seeking the right fit for their organization,” says Fernholz.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

Dovetail Partners’ Minnesota Green Buildings Map Reaches Over 100 Sites

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:50:27 -0600

Certified Green Building Projects Continue to Develop

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based environmental organization, has recently updated its Minnesota Green Building Projects map. The online map shows the locations of more than 100 certified green building projects in the state.

The map, which can be viewed at the Dovetail website, contains certified green buildings located throughout Minnesota. Projects include single-family homes, multi-family residential units, office buildings, hospitals, university buildings, libraries, commercial buildings, and grocery stores. Information for the map was obtained through various certification organizations including LEED, LEED for Homes, MN Green Star and MN Green Communities.

Certified green buildings are those that have been rated by a certification organization based on their material resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, ability to reduce CO2 emissions, and ability to improve indoor air quality.

“The interactive map provides visitors with a visual aide of green building types and locations, as well as links to each building’s website and certification press release,” says Matt Frank, Dovetail Program Assistant.

The map and a complete listing of the certified projects can be viewed at:
http://dovetailinc.org/content/minnesota-green-building-projects

Green Marketing Webinar on February 25th

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:41:16 -0600

Event Examines Fundamentals of Sourcing and Selling Certified Wood

(St. Paul, MN) – A series of webinars offered by the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI), Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, and Dovetail Partners will address key aspects of green marketing and related trends. The series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, includes five online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers. The third webinar in the series will take place on February 25th and will examine the fundamentals of sourcing and selling certified wood.

“There are an estimated 4,500 chain-of-custody certified companies in the United States and Canada and this number grew by about 20% over the past year. These companies and the companies they do business with have the opportunity to increase the benefits of participating in chain-of-custody certification through marketing,” says Dr. Jeff Howe, an expert on green business and green marketing, and webinar presenter.

The webinar on February 25th will examine trends in forest certification, consider implications for builders and manufacturers and distributors of construction products, and address the fundamentals of green marketing – including positioning and customer communications.

“Above all, the positioning process is strategic, as it sets the context by which the relationship between the organization and its vendors and customers is built; and it establishes the basis upon which the organization attempts to compete,” says Howe.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

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About FPMDI
One of the functions of the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI) is to conduct educational programs for the benefit of the forest products industry. FPMDI programs are available to individuals and firms nationwide. You can either register for one of FPMDI's scheduled seminars or workshops, or can arrange for a customized seminar or workshop to be held at a location of your choosing. http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI.html

Green Building & Green Product Webinar on February 11th

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:47:51 -0600

Event Examines Fundamentals of Chain-of-Custody Certification

(St. Paul, MN) – A series of webinars offered by the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI), Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, and Dovetail Partners will address key aspects of green marketing and related trends. The series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, includes five online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers. The second webinar in the series will take place on February 11th and will address chain-of-custody certification.

“Most certification systems are designed to operate as market-based incentive programs that hope to attract customers by communicating something about production processes or the origins of the raw materials in the certified product. Whether it is food produced without synthetic chemicals or paper from recycled fiber, eco-labels try to tell a story. A critical role of certification systems is to assure customers that the story is true. The verification of the story is the role of the chain-of-custody certification process,” says Dr. Jeff Howe, an expert on green business and green marketing, and webinar presenter.

The webinar on February 11th will examine forest certification and chain-of-custody programs in the United States and Canada, current and emerging trends in forest certification, and implications for builders, manufacturers and distributors of construction products.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

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Survey Shows Minnesotans Value Well Managed Forests

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:22:32 -0600

POLLING RESULTS SUPPORT PUBLIC BENEFITS OF WILDLIFE, CLEAN AIR AND WATER

(St. Paul, MN) – Minnesota has millions of acres of forests, and a recent survey found that Minnesotans feel that forests are important to their quality of life.

“There is near unanimity that forests are important to Minnesotan’s quality of life,” says Lori Weigel of the polling firm Public Opinion Strategies. “This consensus is held among all key sub-groups and in every region of the state.”

The survey was conducted between November 10 -15th, 2009 by a bipartisan research team. Phone interviews were conducted with registered voters throughout the state of Minnesota with proportional and geographic distribution and a resulting margin of sampling error of +/-4.0%.

The survey asked about viewpoints and values related to forests and forest-derived benefits like wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and wood products and jobs.

“All of the forest benefits ranked high, with the top rankings being the benefits that forests provide as a place for wildlife and to help keep our air and water clean,” says Weigel.

The survey was the result of collaborations between organizations interested in better understanding Minnesotan’s environmental values and priorities. Collaborating in the research were the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, Dovetail Partners and state leaders who had participated in the “Seeing the Forests and the Trees” Study Tour organized by the Blandin Foundation.

“We have a duty to future generations to be good stewards of Minnesota’s forests, and leave them in as good or even better shape than we found them,” says Dave Zumeta, Executive Director of the Minnesota Forest Resources Council and study tour participant.

Questions asked during the interviews touched on the trade-offs between managing forests for specific benefits. The results showed that a full 76% of those polled ranked the supplying of essential wood and paper products as extremely or very important.

“Our forests are vital to our quality of life and our economic future,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

One of the ways that Minnesota’s land managers have addressed the need for balanced management is through participation in voluntary certification programs. Minnesota has more than 8 million acres of certified forestland, including lands certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards. Public and private lands throughout the state have been certified, including lands managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, County Land Departments, The Nature Conservancy and others.

“As a forestland manager the survey results are encouraging; seeing that the vast majority of Minnesotans hold forests in such high regard reinforces my resolve to provide quality forest management now and into the future," says Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner for Aitkin County.

A full 85% of the state’s electorate agreed with the statement, “With sound forest management, we can continue the current level of wood and paper production from Minnesota’s forests while still protecting and improving forest health.”

“Overall, the survey results show the strong value Minnesota voters feel they derive from the presence of forests in their state,” concludes David Metz of the polling firm FM3. “They say forests contribute to the quality of life in Minnesota, and believe there are numerous benefits from clean air and water to wildlife habitat to economic and recreational benefits. They also very much agree that economic and environmental benefits of forests can be compatible and can be preserved simultaneously through sound management.”

“Minnesota is a truly special place, and we should take pride in making special efforts to protect our forests and Great Outdoors – they are part of our way of life, part of who we are,” says Steve Morse, Executive Director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership.

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Additional survey results and data are available.

Midwest Companies Take Top Honors in Green Building

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:03:02 -0600

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Announces Winners of Designing & Building with FSC Awards at Greenbuild

Minneapolis, MN (January 13, 2010) – The Forest Stewardship Council – US (FSC-US) announced the winners of the 5th annual Designing & Building with FSC Awards at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Phoenix, Ariz., the world’s largest green-building gathering. The awards celebrate the best in U.S. and Canadian green architecture and construction using FSC-certified materials – those sourced from forests managed to high environmental and social standards.

First place in the residential category went to Keith Waters & Associates and WD Flooring LLC, for their Portico on the Green residence, in Minnetonka, Minn. – the first home in the state to receive Silver Certification through the Minnesota GreenStar Pilot program.

“The exuberance of Portico on the Green’s design is contained by a strong but simple composition of wood trim and roof,” said jurist Thomas A. Fisher, Senior Project Manager with Sustainable Design Consulting, in Washington, D.C. “The Mission style wood detailing of the interior is also simple, extensive and tasteful, and almost all from sustainably managed forests.”

Over 70% of the framing lumber used in the project was FSC-certified, and 100% of hardwood flooring was FSC-certified. The project’s millwork was 100% FSC-certified cherry and poplar.

“The Upper Midwest has more FSC-certified forestland than any other region, and it is great to see local manufacturers and builders support this commitment to responsible management,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit environmental group.

Las Vegas’s new CityCenter earned first place in the commercial/institutional category. This LEED-certified 67-acre mixed use-development employed more than $41 million worth of FSC-certified wood, the greatest amount in a single building project in the United States to date. CityCenter is a strong market driver for FSC: more than 10 wood suppliers received FSC certification in order to supply wood to the project.

Honorable mentions were also awarded in each category. Washington, D.C.-based Envision Design’s project for Generation IM North America Headquarters in New York was recognized for its refined use of FSC-certified wood in both the office and in the furniture. Led by its chairman, The Honorable Al Gore, Generation IM is dedicated to thought leadership on sustainability and capital markets.

In the residential category, an honorable mention was given to Allen Associates for Victoria Garden Mews, in Santa Barbara, Calif., which used FSC-certified wood throughout its re-creation of Victorian moulding, dentils and trim profiles. The house received a 5-star rating from Santa Barbara’s Built Green program.

Designing & Building with FSC Awards recognize and honor designers and builders who are committed to using FSC-certified wood and creating a marketplace that promotes environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management – the mission of FSC.

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system awards points for FSC-certified wood used in LEED building projects. According to McGraw-Hill Construction, FSC-certified wood is the most specified green-building product in their database of 60,000 project specifications collected annually, surpassing even EnergyStar.

For more information about the winning projects and to see photos, visit:

http://www.fscus.org/greenbuilding

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About the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. It provides standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services for companies and organizations interested in responsible forestry. Products carrying the FSC label are independently certified to assure consumers that they come from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations. FSC is the only forest certification organization endorsed by such major environmental groups as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), National Wildlife Federation and Greenpeace. There are currently more than 100 million acres of FSC-certified forestland in the United States and Canada and more than 281 million acres globally. More than 14,000 manufacturers and distributors are certified to buy and sell FSC products, representing more than $20 billion in FSC-labeled product annually.
http://www.fscus.org/

About Keith Waters & Associates
Keith Waters & Associates, Inc is one of Minnesota's premier new homebuilders. Each of our homes is unique, designed by our in-house designers to fit the taste and needs of its owners. Our homes take on a variety of forms: ultra-contemporary or ornately traditional; small cottages or large estates; lake homes or city homes. But they share an attention to fine design and quality craftsmanship that is truly extraordinary.
http://www.keithwaters.com

About WD Flooring, LLC
W•D offers top quality hardwood flooring with excellent customer service, a wide variety of products, and competitive pricing. At W•D, we hand select only the very best from our more than 40,000 acres of majestic hardwoods. W•D Flooring is proud to be certified under the FSC program. We believe this program reflects our past, present and future commitment to the environment and our ability to provide certified wood products to consumers who chose such certification.
http://www.wdflooring.com

About Dovetail Partners
Dovetail Partners is 501c3 nonprofit corporation providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.
http://www.dovetailinc.org

Green Building Webinar on January 14th

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:02:25 -0600

(St. Paul, MN) – A series of webinars offered by the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI), Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, and Dovetail Partners will address key aspects of green marketing and related trends. The series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, includes five online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers. The first webinar in the series will take place on January 14th and will address green building programs.

“The majority of the nearly 100 green building programs operating in the United States encompass energy efficiency, building durability, occupant safety, and materials and water efficiency. Provisions focused on environmental attributes of construction materials are common, with language regarding certification of wood and wood products a near universal feature,” says presenter Dr. Jim Bowyer, Director of the Responsible Materials Program of Dovetail Partners and green building expert.

The webinar on January 14th will examine green building programs in the United States and Canada, identifies current and emerging trends in green building in North America, and considers implications for builders and manufacturers and distributors of construction products. Likely impacts on markets for certified wood products will be a central focus of discussion.

“The learning curve to achieving improved environmental performance can be steep, and a strategy of waiting for competitors to act first can translate into significant delays and lost opportunities,” says Bowyer.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

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Webinar Series for Green Forest Products

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:03:04 -0600

Five Online Events Planned Between January and April

(St. Paul, MN) – A series of webinars offered by the Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI), Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering and Dovetail Partners will address key aspects of green marketing and related trends. The series, Positioning for Green – Opportunities for Forest Products, includes five online events that participants can access from their offices or home computers.

For many people, positioning is about the location of their building, or the spot their product takes on the shelves of the retailer. An organization’s position is really about the image customers have of that organization.

The five webinars will address green building, forest certification and chain of custody certification, and marketing of green products, including certified wood.

“In recent years, more and more companies have been getting on the green bandwagon, and this trend is impacting the playing field and adding new dimensions to the competitive marketplace,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, an international expert on green building programs and responsible materials, and another presenter in the series.

Today’s trends include the fact that Twitter-length attention spans have met Internet access and generated customers that are well informed, demanding, and have unlimited options. Increasingly, these customers are looking for green products.

More information about the webinar series and registration details are available at:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/positioning-green-opportunities-forest-products

http://www.bbe.umn.edu/FPMDI

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About FPMDI

About Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners is 501(c)(3) organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives. http://www.dovetailinc.org

Xcel Energy Foundation Invests in Environmental Education

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:01:31 -0600

New Grant to Support the F.R.E.E. Network

(Mpls, MN) – The Xcel Energy Foundation recently announced the recipients of grants in the focus area of the environment. Included in this year’s list of recipients is the F.R.E.E Network, an environmental education resource hosted by Dovetail Partners, Inc.

“The F.R.E.E Network provides access to information about forests and forest resources and supports classroom learning about our environment,” says James Garness, Senior Foundation Representative for the Xcel Energy Foundation in Minnesota.

Created in the 1990s with the involvement of the University of Minnesota, the Forest Resources Environmental Education Network (F.R.E.E Network) has been offering high quality environmental education resources for almost 20 years.

“The purpose of the network is to empower teachers and students of all ages with a deeper understanding of forest resources and their responsible management,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, Inc.

With the support of the Xcel Energy Foundation, Dovetail will add new and emerging information to the F.R.E.E Network, including information about urban forestry and tree care, carbon storage and climate change. Teachers who visit the site can find materials for use in the classroom, and students can learn in the Kid’s Corner. An environmental quiz at the site helps everyone learn about a broad array of economic, social, and environmental issues.

“Now more than ever it is important that high quality sources of information are available to help educators and citizens understand environmental trade-offs and challenges,” says Fernholz.

The F.R.E.E Network is an online resource available at: http://www.freeenetwork.org

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About the F.R.E.E. Network
A site for teachers and students at all grade levels who want to learn more about forests and the management of forests.

Minnesota Communities teach Swedes about Farms, Forests, and Clean Energy

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:05:07 -0600

Swedes’ visit to Minnesota is a Learning Experience for All

Last month Minnesota became home to Swedish business partners Erik Sundell and Per Hallnevik as they traveled across the state to learn more about farming and agricultural practices.

The two decided to visit Minnesota after meeting Minnesotans Kara Slaughter and Alison Lindburg in Sweden last March. Slaughter and Lindburg were participating in the Rotary Club’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program, where they lived with host families and studied sustainability practices of Swedish communities for five weeks. Lindburg and Slaughter organized the Minnesota tour as a way to continue the education and exchange process.

“Erik and Per were especially interested in seeing harvesting operations, large farms and big machinery,” says Lindburg, director of the Eco-Affordable Housing Program of the Minneapolis-based non-profit organization Dovetail Partners. “We were lucky to be able to also include clean energy production and a forestry tour.”

The tour was a collaborative effort of many organizations and communities, and included site visits and tours across Minnesota. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association and the South Central Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association sponsored tours, including an observational visit of Sun-Opta organic and identity-preserved grain handling. One visit included picking fresh sweet corn right out of the field.

Wet weather conditions impeded the observation of harvesting practices, but other activities kept Hallnevik and Sundell busy. One day included a visit to Working for Farmers' Success (WFS) grain elevator in Clark’s Grove, and another was spent touring the facilities of Hope Creamery. They also visited Aitkin, where they went on a forestry tour and remarked on the similarities in landscape to Sweden.

Common ground was discovered in the use of similar types of logging machinery on the forestry tour. One major difference was pest control – wild hogs are a major cause of agricultural crop damage in Sweden. “They also noted that our lack of biomass markets leads to more non-merchantable trees and coarse woody debris being left in the forest,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner. “They were not aware of any coarse woody debris retention guidelines in Sweden.”

Hallnevik and Sundell further experienced Minnesota life by staying with host families during their visit. Jim and Nancy Barbour, who hosted in Morris, found it to be a great learning experience. “It was interesting to hear about their crop rotations and to think about farming without GMO crops, which we take for granted,” says Nancy.

Jim Barbour, who gave a tour of the Biomass Gasification project at the University of Minnesota-Morris learned, "Like many American farmers, they have off-farm jobs in addition to their farming.” The Morris tour also included the University’s wind turbine, the North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory, and visits to local farms and farm machinery.

One truly Minnesotan moment occurred during a tour when an eagle flew overhead in the Morris area. “It was as if it had been staged! Just beautiful!,” says Jim Barbour.

“Everyone had a great time and they really enjoyed Minnesota,” says Slaughter, tour organizer and board member of the non-profit organization Renewing the Countryside. “It was great to teach them about Minnesota and watch everyone pull together to make the tour possible.”

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For more information on the tour, see this article (click here).

www.mncorn.org

www.sfa-mn.org

www.renewingthecountryside.org

www.dovetailinc.org

Occupant Education Key to Green Building Success

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:44:40 -0600

Dovetail Partners Shares Green Building Survey Results

A survey conducted by Dovetail Partners has revealed that while overall green building satisfaction is high, continued occupant education is important for achieving the best results in certified green buildings.

The survey, conducted in late 2008, aimed to determine what if any changes in green practices or materials have been made after a green building is occupied. Instead of focusing on energy performance and utility bills, a questionnaire was used to determine the occupant’s level of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with specific green building attributes and materials. The results help identify which products are likely to be changed over time. Building projects included in the survey were built in Minnesota and had achieved certification through at least one green building program.

“We learned that a lack of education at some level was a common factor for any kind of dissatisfaction,” says Alison Lindburg, director of Dovetail’s Eco-Affordable Housing Program. “An occupants' manual is useful, but only if the occupants understand they should be referring to it.”

The survey concluded that more education to contractors and manufacturers could also increase satisfaction with materials used in green building projects. The results provide information on which features are commonly used in green buildings, which green attributes could use improvement, and what features may determine the overall likeability and success of green products.

The results of the survey are available in the report Satisfaction with Certified Green Buildings – An Inquiry of Building Occupants in Minnesota, now available online at the Dovetail website.

To access the full report, visit:
http://dovetailinc.org/reportsview/2009/responsible-materials/green-buildings-inquiry

Family Forests Alliance Outlines National Strategy

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:43:48 -0600

Outcomes of 2009 National Gathering Grow Capacity and Plans for Coordinated Expansion

(New Gloucester, Maine) – Partners, supporters and organizers of the FSC Family Forests Alliance met in Flat Rock, North Carolina from November 4-6, 2009 to analyze developments in U.S. family forest certification and to deliberate plans for expanding and coordinating national efforts to provide improved access to FSC certification and related services to family forestland owners.

“The conversations that come out of these gatherings make it clear that there is still a lot of work to do in involving family forest owners in management and certification of their lands – and that there is a lot of energy to work on these issues. It’s fantastic that these Alliance gatherings are valuable to partners, because their input is the centerpiece of setting the course for Alliance initiatives,” said Kate Albert Read, Alliance Secretariat.

The first Alliance national gathering took place at the Johnson Foundation’s Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin in 2007, and it set the initial work plan. Alliance core organizers met in Portland, Maine in 2008 to formalize the Alliance’s procedures and to write the 2009 work plan, with feedback and input from partners. This year’s meeting was made possible with support from Domtar, Inc.

The gathering opened with updates and presentations on standard development, an overview of the procurement landscape for FSC certified products, results of the Alliance’s survey of FSC Forest Management certificate holders in the U.S., tools for group certificate management and engaging smaller forestland owners in forest management, the role of point-of-harvest certification in family forest certification, and case studies in new certification incentives, including payments for ecosystem services.

“The Alliance serves as a forum for diverse stakeholder and geographic experience with creating opportunities for forest smallholders to gain a foothold in the FSC framework and markets. While many areas are beginning to feel growing demand for certified products, building that pull is still a challenge in this region, and this gathering was an important chance to put that need on the map as part of a larger national strategy,” said Alyx Perry of the Southern Forests Network.

The second phase of the meeting involved all partners in identifying top issues and drafting a work plan for 2010. Some of the key issues identified were: expanding family forest and group certification to new geographies, targeting early success regions for piloting ecosystem service payments and other additional benefits, facilitating group management through templating management and monitoring requirements, networking group managers and providing more tools, and continuing to foster demand for FSC certified products. The first priority for 2010 will be to support Alliance and FSC Family Forest Program capacity through a collaborative work plan and establishment of a jointly advised leadership position.

“The core organizers who initiated the Alliance have done a great deal of work over the past three years and have fostered a valuable network of expertise and ideas for wrestling with family forest challenges. The time is right to commit to a formal structure, deepen the working relationship with FSC-US family forest initiatives and dedicating a full-time person to carrying out this important work plan,” said Ian Hanna, Director of Northwest Certified Forestry for Northwest Natural Resource Group and upcoming Director of Development for FSC-US.

The national gathering was co-planned with a meeting of the FSC-US Family Forests Working Group, held on November 4, 2009, where progress on the development of family forest indicators within the FSC-US standard was presented.

“We are looking forward to finalizing the development of these family forest indicators following a final 60-day comment period on the current draft. The working group has advanced this draft with remarkable focus and with an expert eye on producing a standard that best fits the scale of family forests while maintaining the rigor of FSC-certified forest management. We will next work with the working group and other members of the Alliance to develop companion guidance documents and other tools for facilitating the uptake of this standard,” said Karen Steer of the FSC-US Family Forests Program.

Details of the national gathering proceedings and the 2010 work plan will be posted on FSC Family Forests Alliance website: http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

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About the FSC Family Forests Alliance

In 2007, the core organizers of the FSC Family Forest Alliance hosted an inaugural national gathering at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin, and the outcomes of that gathering defined the Alliance’s first Action Plan. Since that meeting the Alliance has been focused on efforts to develop family forest standards as a part of the FSC standards revision process. The Alliance partners have also initiated carbon credit projects for family forest owners, supported marketing alliances and participated in FSC’s global efforts with small forest holders.

Since 2007, the FSC Family Forests Alliance (FFA) has pursued four primary purposes:
* Advocate for FSC policies, public policies, and procurement policies that better serve FSC-certified family forests.
* Operate as a forum to share information and strategies for successful models of certification, forest management, policy development, and market development.
* Provide more visible networks and membership opportunities for family forest owners who feel underserved by existing forest management models and landowner organizations.
* Work collaboratively to develop new resources and tools for group certification programs.

Dovetail Partners, Inc. served as the first Secretariat to the FSC Family Forests Alliance. The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands will serve in this capacity from 2009-2011.

Alliance Organizers:
* Harry Groot, Blue Ridge Forest Cooperative, Christiansburg, VA
* Don Arnosti, Community Forestry Resource Center, Minneapolis, MN
* Kathryn Fernholz, Dovetail Partners, Minneapolis, MN
* John Gunn, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Brunswick, ME
* Ian Hanna, Northwest Natural Resource Group, Port Townsend, WA
* Alyx Perry, Southern Forests Network, Asheville, NC
* Kate Albert Read, Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands , New Gloucester, ME

Land Managers Expect the Benefits of Forest Certification to Increase

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:37:25 -0500

Family Forests Alliance Releases Results of Forest Certification Research

(New Gloucester, Maine) – A recent survey of FSC certified forestry operations found that most believe the financial benefits of certification with stay the same or increase over the next five years.

Conducted by the FSC Family Forests Alliance, the research invited feedback from FSC Forest Management (FM) Certificate holders in the United States regarding their experiences and the perceived costs and benefits of FSC certification. There are 114 FSC certified forestry operations in the United States. The questionnaire also increases the understanding of group certification experiences and trends.

“Group certification has been around since the early-1990s and it is important to evaluate progress and understand where there are opportunities for improvement and growth,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, Inc.

Half of the group certificates reported increases in membership in the past 12 months. About three-quarters of the groups provide both marketing and management planning services to their members and are generally satisfied with the services they are currently able to provide. More than 80% of the responding groups indicated an interest in the development of tools and resources related to “carbon offset aggregation project development”.

“We see evidence of growth opportunities for family forest certification in the U.S, and building connections with carbon markets could be a key strategy for realizing these opportunities,” says John Gunn, senior scientist at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

But the research also identified some challenges. Nearly 90% of the groups reported challenges with the “lack of markets for certified products”, while 72% also reported “high audit costs” as a challenge. While respondents recognize indicators that benefits of FSC certification are likely to increase, 75% of respondents claim that, currently, certification costs are still greatly exceeding benefits.

“Clearly, marketing and realizing economic benefits remain top priorities for certificate holders,” says Katherine Albert Read, Secretariat for the Alliance and Director of Harvest Certification for the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands.

Respondents to the survey also indicated that the most recognized benefits of certification are the new marketing opportunities.

“Forest management certificate holders are most interested in services related to marketing and they see an important role for FSC in the marketing and promotion of certified products,” concluded Albert Read.

To view the research report summary, visit the FSC Family Forests Alliance website:
http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Crow Wing County to Develop Comprehensive Recreation Trails Plan

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:07:54 -0500

Project Includes an Evaluation of High Conservation Value Forests

(Brainerd, MN) – The Crow Wing County Land Services Department has initiated a project to develop a comprehensive recreation trails plan for county-managed public lands. The plan will be informed by an evaluation of potential high conservation value forests under the county’s management.

“Recreation trails are a cornerstone of outdoor activities in Crow Wing County and one of the many benefits of our public lands,” says Mark Liedl, Land Services Director for Crow Wing County.

The plan will address existing and proposed recreation trails that serve a full range of motorized and non-motorized uses, including ATV routes, equestrian trails, biking, hiking, dog-sledding, skiing, snowmobiling, and other trail based recreation types. The county had contracted with Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, to manage the plan development project. Dovetail will also oversee the evaluation process for identifying high conservation value forests.

“As recreation interests grow and change, it is increasingly important for land managers to stay ahead of the curve with good plans, public input processes and a review of the natural resources to be protected and thoughtfully managed,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The evaluation of High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) is a component of the county’s participation in forest certification. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification standard includes requirements for the protection, management and monitoring of special sites, such as old-growth forests, water source protection areas, cultural or historic sites and other unique resources.

“Including the HCVF evaluation with the recreation trails planning will help reduce the risk of trails negatively impacting important conservation areas and natural resources, the evaluation also provides another opportunity for the public to help inform the county’s management activities,” says Liedl.

The full project is expected to take up to two years to complete, with the preliminary HCVF findings being shared with the public in about six months and the first draft of the recreation trail plan being released by the end of 2010. A project website has been established and updates, meeting announcements and other project related information will be posted at the website.

“This project will take some time to complete, with us all learning a few things along the way – when it’s all said and done, we aim to have a plan that the County can be proud of and that the citizens will be happy to see implemented,” says Fernholz.

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More information is available at:
http://www.co.crow-wing.mn.us/land_services/index.html

Swedes to Visit Minnesota Farms

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:47:24 -0500

Tours Part of Continued “Green” Education Exchange

From October 9-16, Minnesota will be home to two Swedish visitors interested in learning about agriculture and farming practices.

The visit is a result of a connection made through the Rotary Club’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program. Earlier this year, five Minnesotans were selected to travel to Sweden and live with host families for five weeks. That trip included tours focused on sustainability and eco-communities, including visits to sustainable farms.

(Photo Caption: Eric (on right) will be visiting from Sweden to learn about Minnesota agriculture.)

The October tour in Minnesota is a collaborative effort of many organizations and communities, including two participants from the recent GSE trip to Sweden. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association and the South Central Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association will be sponsoring tours, and participants will be staying with host families.

“We saw some really great farms when we were in Sweden,” says Kara Slaughter, GSE participant and board member of the non-profit organization Renewing the Countryside. “So when they decided to visit us here, we wanted to show them examples of great farming in Minnesota.”

This month’s tour will include farms and communities across Minnesota that demonstrate a variety of agriculture and farming practices. Tour participants will visit large-scale farming operations, organic farms, active soybean harvesting and corn hybrid test plots. The tour will likely include a visit to the Morris Biomass Gasification plant and North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory.

“The tour in Sweden was a great exchange of ideas and the people that hosted us were so generous,” says Alison Lindburg, GSE participant and staff member of the Minnesota-based non-profit organization Dovetail Partners. “It is really important that we return the favor.”

The tour is still looking for host families and outing opportunities. For more information, please contact Kara Slaughter at 612-396-7404.

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For more information:

http://www.mncorn.org

http://www.sfa-mn.org

http://www.renewingthecountryside.org

http://www.dovetailinc.org

Green Building Workshops Offer Personal Assistance Opportunity

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:58:14 -0500

Companies Registering Five or More Participants Will Receive Free Consultation With the Experts

(Madison, WI) – Do you have questions about green that you’d rather not share with a room full of people? Maybe your questions are specific to your business, one of your clients or a new venture? Would you like personalized answers without having to retain a costly consultant? If you’d like to learn about green privately and without having to sign a service contract, register to attend one of the upcoming Green Building Workshops.

Each one-day Green Building Workshop will provide the information needed to understand green trends impacting the building sector and how your company can benefit from them. From explaining the national and regional green building programs to providing the details needed to make decisions, you will walk away with greater understanding, greater confidence and greater marketing potential.

A company registering five or more people to attend a single workshop will receive a free, private consultation with the expert presenters. The company attendees will have the opportunity, in a one-on-one setting, to ask questions from authorities on life cycle assessment, green building program standards, chain-of-custody certification, environmental marketing and other topics of their choosing.

"These workshops are designed to ensure that companies, organizations and individuals throughout the region are empowered to capitalize on green marketing opportunities," says Stefan Bergmann, Executive Vice President of the Forest Products Society.

The Green Building Workshops will be held on October 14 in Madison, WI; October 28 in Lansing, MI; and November 5 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Minneapolis workshop will also be available online.

The workshops are being hosted by the Forest Products Society and the Great Lakes Forest Alliance, with diverse partnerships and supporters including Dovetail Partners, Blandin Foundation, Society of American Foresters, TECO, California Redwood Association, Wisconsin DNR, USDA Forest Service, Michigan DNR, American Wood Council and Woodworks.

For more information, including registration details, visit: www.greenworkshops.org.

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Green Building Workshops To Answer Key Questions

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:36:28 -0500

Workshops offered in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Online

(Madison, WI) - What is a green building? What is a green building product? How can my organization take advantage of the growing marketplace for green? Whether you’re a builder, architect, forest products company employee or green consumer, if you're asking these questions - attending a Green Building Workshop will provide you with the answers and authoritative information you need to make decisions about your green direction.

"Green encompasses a lot of information and a lot of choices, but you can cut through the confusion with some key facts and resources, such as Life Cycle Analysis, that will be explained at the workshops," says Dr. Jim Bowyer, Responsible Materials Director for Dovetail Partners and workshop presenter.

The Workshops are centered in the Great Lakes region, which lays claim to several green acheivements. The region has more than 10,000 certified green buildings, including a large number of EnergyStar homes, and the greatest concentration of certified forestlands in the country.

"This region has a green track record, and by staying on top of the latest information about green markets, companies can capitalize on these acheivements," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and workshop presenter.

The Green Building Workshops will be held on October 14 in Madison, WI; October 28 in Lansing, MI; and November 5 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The workshop in Minneapolis will also be available via an interactive webinar.

"These workshops will present cutting-edge information on one of the hottest topics in the market – green building," says Stefan Bergmann, Executive Vice President of the Forest Products Society.

For more information, including registration details, visit: www.greenworkshops.org

Dovetail Partners Examines Selection of Green Flooring Materials

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:14:09 -0500

New report looks at life cycle impacts of alternatives

(Mpls, MN) – A new report from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, examines available life cycle assessment (LCA) data for alternative flooring products. The findings provide a useful guide for selecting green flooring materials.

The Building for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (BEES) program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is the most comprehensive source of LCA-based information for floor covering products. NIST product evaluations are comprehensive, and are reviewed by a Scientific Advisory Panel of the Environmental Protection Agency as well as a Stakeholder Panel.

"The BEES program currently offers life-cycle based comparisons of over two dozen floor covering products,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, lead-author of the report. He notes that products are evaluated based on twelve different potential environmental impacts, including impacts on human health, fossil fuel depletion, air pollution and smog, global warming, ecological toxicity, and habitat alteration.

In addition to the BEES data, the report also reviews flooring research completed in Europe and Canada, and several recent studies completed in the United States.

“Overall, our review found that floor coverings made from bio-based materials, such as wood and cork have substantially lower environmental impacts than vinyl, ceramic tile, and wool and nylon carpeting,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

There are some limitations to the available information. To date, for example, there has been no published life cycle assessment of bamboo flooring. Information on carpeting is also limited in that BEES focuses on floor coverings typically used in commercial building and institutions rather than those used in residential structures.

Unfortunately, the BEES database does not yet include information on such flooring options as hardwood or bamboo.

"However, " says Bowyer, “in those comparisons in which wood flooring products have been among the options considered, the wood flooring has generally been found to have the lowest environmental impact.”

The full report is available at the Dovetail Partners website (www.dovetailinc.org) and includes the ranking of eleven alternative flooring products in terms of their environmental performance.

To access the full report, click here.

Public Meetings Address Recreation Trail Planning for Aitkin County

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:09:40 -0500

(Aitkin, MN) – Public meetings held August 26 and 27^th in McGregor and Hill City addressed the development of Aitkin County’s Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan. Citizens had an opportunity to hear about the goals of the plan and the types of recreation trails that are being considered for county-managed lands. The presentation from the meetings has also been posted at the project website. The project website can be accessed through the County Land Department’s Recreation webpage.

Over the past year, the plan development process has included input from a stakeholder committee representing diverse recreation interests and meetings with the Park Commission. The goal of the plan is to guide recreation trail management on county-managed lands.

“The plan will evaluate current recreation demands and identify opportunities to enhance opportunities while balancing natural resource protections and competing land uses,” says Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner.

The public will have another opportunity to review the plan before it is finalized.

Dovetail Partners Identifies Forest Education Sites Around the Country

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:20:36 -0500

Interactive Map of 50 places for outdoor education

(Mpls, MN) If you're looking for a last minute Labor Day trip for your family or if you need a class field trip destination, chances are there is a forestry education site that will fit the bill.

"We've identified 50 places around the United States where citizens, families, teachers and students can learn about forests, their management and benefits," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, the Minneapolis-based non-profit that gathered the education site information.

A map of forestry sites and a downloadable listing are available at the Dovetail Partners website. The information contains 50 sites, including locations in more than 20 different states.

Included in the list are sites as diverse the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park, California; the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, Minnesota; and the Urban Forestry Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

"The list keeps growing as we identify additional locations and as people send us information - it would be great to include sites outside of the U.S as well, and we invite people to send us ideas," says Matt Frank, Program Assistant at Dovetail Partners.

For more information and to view the map or download the complete listing of forestry education sites, visit:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/forestry-education-sites

Support Trusted Environmental Information from Dovetail Partners

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:44:49 -0500

(Mpls, MN) – Do you know which is greener – wool carpet, cork flooring or linoleum? Do you have questions about the impacts of renewable energy? Are you looking for a trusted source of environmental information?

Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit, delivers news, information and commentary about environmental issues and trends.

“We provide authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Dovetail’s Executive Director.

With more than 80 reports available, Dovetail has added new insights to debates such as:
- Assessing the environmental impacts of bamboo and other rapidly-renewable materials
- Accounting for long-lived wood products in carbon credit protocols
- Developing effective green building programs and standards

- Responsible bioenergy and biofuels development

“When you are a supporter of Dovetail Partners you ensure that we continue to be a trusted source of environmental information,” says Fernholz.

Here is what some of Dovetail’s readers have had to say:

- Dovetail reports are exceptionally well done, and constitute one of the best sources of information on energy, green building, and certification. – Madison, WI
- Your reports are outstanding. – Minneapolis, MN
- I really enjoy reading articles by Dovetail. They are the smartest and most relevant reading that I have found anywhere. Keep up the good work!!!! - Boise, ID
- I really appreciate the work that you do. Your reports are timely, credible and unbiased. – Portland, OR
- Dovetails Newsletter is the only on-line newsletter that I always read. - Anonymous
- I always look forward to your newsletters and find them very useful. It is rare when I don't find something there to forward to a colleague. – Ann Arbor, MI

Dovetail’s work has been re-printed and cited in publications and media outlets as diverse as a Congressional Research Service Report, Doors and Hardware magazine, the Forest Products Journal, Conservation Magazine and Environmental Design + Construction.

“If you agree that high quality environmental information is needed, your support of Dovetail makes a difference,” says Fernholz.

So, which is greener – wool carpet, cork flooring or linoleum? And what are the impacts of renewable energy?

“Dovetail’s reports answer these questions and summarize the environmental data that shows the life cycle impacts of cork are less than those of linoleum and wool carpeting. Our series of reports on bioenergy highlight both the challenges and opportunities of renewable energy,” says Fernholz.

Visit the Dovetail Partners website for more information and to pledge your support!

http://dovetailinc.org/content/donate

Family Forests Alliance Renews Agreement with FSC

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:01:23 -0500

New Agreement Outlines Shared Goals

(New Gloucester, Maine) - The FSC Family Forests Alliance and the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US) have renewed a Memorandum of Understanding. The new agreement outlines the shared goals and areas of collaboration.

"Since 2006, the Family Forests Alliance has advocated for increased family forest owner access to FSC certification and market opportunities," says Kate Albert Read, Secretariat for the Alliance and Director of Harvest Certification and Research for the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands.

About 60% of America's forestlands are privately owned, but very few of America's 10 million family forest owners are participating in forest certification programs.

"The lands owned and managed by American families contribute to wildlife habitat, water quality, carbon sequestration, scenic beauty and other public values," says Corey Brinkema, President of FSC-US. "FSC certification of family forests guides and validates stewardship and provides this critical landowner base access to the rapidly growing marketplace for responsibly harvested wood and paper.”

As FSC certification has grown to include more than 31 million acres of land in the U.S., approximately 2.5 million acres of family forestlands are currently enrolled.

"Family forestlands are a key piece of America's forest landscape and extra effort is needed to engage woodland owners in certification programs and benefits," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, an Alliance member.

The new agreement outlines how the FFA and FSC-US will continue to collaborate on initiatives that further expand family forest certification. Collaborative efforts include continued development of FSC’s Family Forest Standards and supporting guidance documents and communications.

For more information, visit: http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

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Dovetail Partners Provides Information about Emerald Ash Borer

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:53:53 -0500

Update Addresses Invasive Species and Firewood Movement Threat

(Mpls, MN) – Information available from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization, addresses common questions about the threat posed by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The insect is an invasive pest that threatens to devastate native ash tree populations.

“The spread of EAB has been linked to the movement of firewood from infested to non-infested areas,” says Steve Bratkovich of Dovetail Partners and author of the report. “The consequences of the spread of EAB to firewood producers, marketers, and users is significant.”

First issued in April 2008, the report has been updated this month to addresses the current status of EAB and firewood movement in the United States. The report includes details about where infestations have been identified, quarantines, regulations, and options for the firewood industry.

“In May 2009, EAB was discovered in Minnesota,” says Bratkovich. “Minnesota joins the list of eleven other states having confirmed EAB populations and local citizens need to be vigilant about not moving firewood and ash products around.”

State quarantines make it illegal to move ash trees, ash logs, ash branches, other ash materials and products. Violations of the quarantine can result in a fine of up to $7,500 per day of violation. Many states have also adopted specific regulations restricting the movement of hardwood (non-coniferous) firewood.

“The Minnesota State Legislature passed a law in 2007 restricting firewood movement and establishing a list of approved firewood dealers,” says Bratkovich. “The Forest Service and County Land Departments have taken action to restrict firewood, so the best advice is to leave your firewood at home and buy what you need when you get to your destination.”

For more information and to access the report, visit: www.dovetailinc.org

The April 2008 full report is available at:

http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailEAB0408ev.pdf

The July 2009 update summary is available at:

http://dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailEABUpdate0709.pdf

For additional information on EAB— and the best one-stop-source on the subject —see: http://www.emeraldashborer.info

Public Meetings for Aitkin County Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:07:55 -0500

August 26th at McGregor School and August 27th at Hill City School

(Aitkin, MN) – Public meetings will be held on August 26th and 27th to preview the development of a Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan for county-managed lands in Aitkin County.

The schedule and location of the meetings are:

6 pm on Wednesday, August 26th at McGregor School (148 South Second Street, McGregor, MN 55760)

6 pm on Thursday, August 27th at Hill City School (500 Ione Avenue, Hill City, MN 55748)

Each meeting will include a presentation by the Aitkin County Land Department about the trail resources currently available on county-managed lands and the alternatives being considered for recreation trail development and management.

The county manages more than 222,000 acres of public land. There are over 100 miles of designated ATV trails and over 600 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in the county. Trails are also available for cross-country skiing, horse riding, and hiking. The county is interested in planning for new and emerging recreation opportunities including water trails that would allow for expanded kayaking and canoe trips. There is also interest in geo-caching, a relatively new and growing recreation group.

The Aitkin County Land Department initiated the development of an updated Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan in August 2008. An Ad hoc committee has helped inform the planning process over the past year.

The plan will guide recreation trail management activities on county-managed lands. Additional information is available at the Aitkin County Land Department website and by contacting the Land Department at 218-927-7364; acld@co.aitkin.mn.us.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Geoblock Reduces Trail Construction Impacts

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:08:54 -0500

Minnesota Counties Demonstrate Low Impact Wetland Crossings

(Aitkin, MN) - The 70-Mile ATV/OHM trail project in Aitkin and Itasca Counties, Minnesota is utilizing geoblock construction materials to reduce impacts associated with wetland crossings.

"The geoblock is installed on the trail surface and allows vegetation to regrow and minimizes impacts to the hydrology and soils," says Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner for the Aitkin County Land Department.

The geoblock material has been used in other regions, including Alaska, and helps reduce soil compaction and potential negative impacts associated with trail construction. The material is sufficiently low-impact that it has been categorized as fill that doesn't require mitigation under the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) regulation.

"This project aims to be environmentally responsible and using innovative construction materials helps address this goal," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director with Dovetail Partners and project coordinator for the 70-Mile Trail Project.

The trail construction and geoblock installation has been accomplished with assistance from the Minnesota Conservation Corps.

For more information, see: http://www.70miletrail.net

Minnesota Manufacturers of Wood Products Prepare for Economic Rebound with FSC Certification

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:52:29 -0500

Twelve Firms Ready to Supply LEED & Green Building Projects with Certified Products

ST. PAUL, Minn. (June 18, 2009) - The "great recession" may have dented the sales of producers of wood products, but twelve Minnesota firms are preparing for the economic rebound with the awarding of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for their wood-based products.

On June 18, the True North Certified Forest Products Network announced that the Network and its twelve member firms had received FSC Chain-of-Custody certification for an array of products manufactured from wood originating in well-managed FSC certified forests or from reclaimed/recycled sources.

"As increasing numbers of architects, builders, remodelers and homeowners are looking to build green and applying for LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) and MN GreenStar certification," states Jeff Forsythe of Nordecor in Brainerd, "I felt that it was time to prepare our company to serve this growing market segment through FSC certification. The True North Network offered us the opportunity to achieve FSC certification in a quick and very resourceful manner. It was also timely in that we are now one of the few companies of our type that has been awarded the new FSC Recycle certification, thus allowing us to certify the authenticity of our reclaimed barn-wood line."

The FSC certification allows the twelve companies to sell FSC-certified and labeled products ranging from lumber and timbers to flooring and paneling, to cabinetry and custom furniture, to architectural millwork and staircase components, to fireplace mantels and art doors, to log siding and decking.

"Our business is focusing on local, green, quality wall and ceiling hardwood paneling products," according to Tom Brand of Grand Arbor in St. Paul. "The True North Woods® certification assures customers that our products come from Minnesota forests and the FSC certification assures customers that they come from well-managed forests."

Persons interested in more information about finding FSC certified suppliers or companies inquiring about becoming FSC certified may contact the Network at 1-888-223-5629, email Info@TrueNorthCertified.com , or visit the Network's website at www.TrueNorthCertified.com.

The True North Certified Forest Products Network offers small primary and secondary manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of forest-based products access to membership in a group FSC Chain-of-Custody certification program. The Network is a program of the Minnesota Wood Education Project, a non-profit organization committed to increasing awareness of the value of sustainable management of our forests and improving the economies of our communities. The program was developed with assistance from Dovetail Partners, a non-profit organization that provides authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

“Companies in Minnesota have been leaders in FSC certification and this program helps expand participation and increase the availability of FSC-certified products that are locally-made,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization that supports and promotes forest management standards that are environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable.

The firms that are members of the Network are:
Bemidji Millworks, Bemidji (www.bemidjimillworks.com),
Creative Sawmilling & Products, Bovey (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx),
Duluth Timber Company, Duluth (www.duluthtimber.com),
Fallsburg Woodworking, Little Falls (www.fallsburg.net),
Forest Specialties, Golden Valley (www.forestspecialtiesinc.net),
Grand Arbor, St. Paul (www.grand-arbor.com),
J.W. Beltman Woodworking, Nashwauk (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx),
Kukkeli Kuu Naturalists, Bovey (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx),
Nordecor, Brainerd (www.nordecor.com),
True North Cedar, Duluth (www.truenorthcedar.com),
Wille Logging, Puposky (www.willellt.blogspot.com), and
Woodmax, Paynesville (www.woodmax.net).

Family Forests Alliance Releases Report on Certification Field Test

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:02:06 -0500

FSC Family Forest Standard Moves Forward in Revision Process

(New Gloucester, Maine) – The FSC Family Forests Alliance, a national partnership of individuals and organizations committed to promoting responsible forest stewardship, has released a report on the results of the recent field testing of proposed revisions to group certification and the family forest standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The revisions include updates on policies for implementation and evaluation for group certificate holders and special provisions for family forestlands.

“The report outlines the results of the field testing, the potential impacts of the family forest standard and the changes that are in development,” says Kate Albert Read, Secretariat for the Alliance and Director of Harvest Certification and Research for the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands.

The FSC’s Family Forest specific standard is the result of 2 years of work by the Family Forest Working Group and several other technical groups. These groups have helped identify the challenges facing family forest certification.

“The Alliance has been an active participant in the revision process from day-one and we continue to contribute to the advancement of family forest owner interests within the FSC program,” says Albert-Read.

From April 8-10, 2009 the FSC-International Center, staff from FSC-US and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cooperated to pilot test draft policies related to group forest management and the proposed FSC-US Family Forests Standard.

“The field test included a review of the approach that Wisconsin has taken to certifying family forestlands through the Managed Forest Law Program which includes nearly 30,000 woodland owners and about 2 million acres of forestland,” says Albert-Read.

The field test participants visited certified family forestlands in Sauk County, WI, and WI DNR staff organized the visits. The main objective was to evaluate how applicable, reasonable, and auditable the proposed indicators are through a simulated field audit and intensive critical discussion.

After field-testing, further revisions will be made to the Family Forests standard, and these revisions will be followed by two 60-day public comment periods.

For more information and to access the full report, visit:
http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Direct link to download the report:
http://tcnef.org/uploads/documents/FFA-Observations-Report.pdf

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About the FSC Family Forests Alliance

Since 2007, the FSC Family Forests Alliance (FFA) has pursued four primary purposes:

* Advocate for FSC policies, public policies, and procurement policies that better serve FSC-certified family forests.

* Operate as a forum to share information and strategies for successful models of certification, forest management, policy development, and market development.

* Provide more visible networks and membership opportunities for family forest owners who feel underserved by existing forest management models and landowner organizations.

* Work collaboratively to develop new resources and tools for group certification programs.

For more information, visit:
http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Dovetail Partners, Inc. is a member of the FSC Family Forests Alliance.

Dovetail Partners Releases Green Building Comparison Report

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:34:36 -0500

Review of the Minnesota GreenStar Program and National Green Building Standard

(Mpls, MN) Dovetail Partners has released a new report that evaluates the Minnesota GreenStar Program and the National Green Building Standard developed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“The National Green Building Standard and MN GreenStar both have potential for successful projects in Minnesota. Both programs address important environmental standards and offer educational tools to help builders understand the process of certification and the importance of green building,” says Alison Lindburg, the report author and Director of the Eco-Affordable Housing Program for Dovetail Partners. Lindburg is a LEED AP and serves on the Technical Committee for the Minnesota GreenStar Program.

Minnesota GreenStar commissioned the report in the interest of better understanding how the programs compare and what the major differences are between them.

“Minnesota GreenStar is a regionally specific program that has been tailored for our state, and we wanted to understand how our work contrasts with a national program,” says Michael Williams, Executive Director of MN GreenStar.

The report identifies leadings strengths and weakness for each program. Some strengths of the MN GreenStar program are that it follows the natural order of a building project, has a strong sense of how remodeling projects work, and provides credits that are specific to regional issues in Minnesota. The MN GreenStar program also provides free downloadable manuals to help support program participation. NAHB’s National Green Building Standard offers certification for multiple project types on a national level, has achieved ANSI certification and provides an online scoring tool for new construction projects.

“It is helpful to the building community to have both a strong, regional program and one that offers guidance for green remodeling – a segment of the green building market that has much to contribute,” says Lindburg.

Both programs also demonstrate opportunities for improvement. The NAHB currently charges a fee for accessing the manual, and the online scoring tool is not available for all types of projects, including some remodeling projects. For MN GreenStar, the quality of information in the manuals is under development and MN GreenStar currently does not offer an online scoring method.

“MN GreenStar just released an updated version in April 2009, which further enhances the program and addresses some of the past gaps,” says Williams. “Our next version will include an online scoring option as well.”

The full report is available by clicking here.

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Dovetail Partners Releases Map of Forestry Education Sites

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:08:05 -0500

Offering places to learn about forests and forest management

(Mpls, MN) – Dovetail Partners has released a map and directory of forestry education sites. The information is available at the Dovetail website. The map includes forestry education sites located across the U.S. that provide the public with access to forestry information. The map includes demonstration sites, research forests and forest history centers. Many of the sites include tours, trails and interactive exhibits. The sites are geared towards students, teachers, researchers, natural resource managers and the general public.

“The interactive map provides visitors with information about each site, including locations, brief descriptions and website addresses for each. In order to access individual site information you just have to click on the symbol on the map,” says Matt Frank, Dovetail Program Assistant.

Visitors are invited to nominate additional forestry education sites that could be added to the map. Information about additional sites can be sent to Dovetail Partners or submitted via the webpage.

For more information and to view the map:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/content/forestry-education-sites

Dovetail Expands Education and Training Services

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:01:00 -0500

Stephanie Berkland Joins the Staff to Direct Education Programs

Mpls, MN - Dovetail Partners announces the hiring of Stephanie Berkland as the Director of Education and Training. Stephanie will plan, manage and deliver education programs for public and private sector audiences. Services include customized training programs related to green building.

"Dovetail's mission is to provide authoritative information about environmental trade-offs and impacts; and by offering customized training and other education events we aim to help people understand the changes they are seeing," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

Stephanie is an expert on green building programs, including the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED program. Stephanie is a LEED AP and previously worked with the Builders Association of Minnesota and other green building education and training programs. Stephanie has previously worked as a Research Assistant at Dovetail.

"There are many things involved with Green Building, from the many developing standards to evolving building practices. I can cut to the chase on green building principles and provide the information people are really looking for," says Berkland.

Stephanie is available to answer questions about green building, including the specifics of the various green building standards.

"Stephanie is a highly qualified green building expert who has worked in the public and private sector and knows the challenges that organizations face when trying to understand "green"," says Fernholz.

Stephanie can be reached at 612-333-0430 or stephanie@dovetailinc.org

Family Forests Alliance Participates in Certification Field Test

admin — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:31:45 -0500

Field Test is Next Step in Revision Process for FSC Family Forest Standard

(New Gloucester, Maine) – The FSC Family Forests Alliance, a national partnership of individuals and organizations committed to promoting responsible forest stewardship, recently participated in the field testing of revisions to group certification and family forest standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The revisions include updates on policies for implementation and evaluation for group certificate holders and special provisions for family forestlands.

“Family forestlands represent more than half of the forests in the United States and call for unique attention from the FSC program. We are pleased to be involved in the standard development process; especially at this critical stage of testing the proposed standards’ effectiveness,” says Kate Albert Read, Secretariat for the Alliance and Director of Harvest Certification and Research for the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands.

As many family forest owners participate in FSC certification via group certificates, the three-day process included a feedback session on the FSC-International Committee (FSC-IC) Group Certification policy as a primer for an in-depth dialogue and field test of the proposed FSC-US draft standard for Family Forests. Pina Gervassi of the FSC-IC joined the U.S. participants to provide updates on FSC-IC developments, to receive feedback on Group Certification policy issues, and to observe the Family Forest Standard test.

The work took place primarily during visits to family forests in Wisconsin, members of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (WDNR) Managed Forest Law group. The participants in the tour included certification auditors, FSC staff, representatives of the Family Forests Alliance, WDNR staff, and other group managers and observers. The proposed revisions to the standard were thoroughly evaluated on the ground through a simulated audit. The group subsequently evaluated how the proposed revisions to the standard might create new opportunities for family forest owners during an intensive critique session.

“The FSC program is the fastest growing forest certification program and market demand for FSC-certified products is also growing,” says Read. “By making the standard work better, more landowners can take advantage of these opportunities.”

After a revision process based on the outcomes of the field test, the draft Family Forest standard will be released for a 60-day public comment period. The Alliance is preparing a summary of observations from the field test. Dovetail Partners, Inc. is a founding member of the Alliance.

For more information: www.familyforestsalliance.org

Forests in Northern Minnesota Store Abundant Carbon

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:39:01 -0500

Results of the North Woods Carbon Credit Partnership Show Carbon Credit Options for Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments

(Mpls, MN) The forest lands administered by the Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments maintain nearly 10 million tons of stored carbon, or about 36 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e).

“The storage in these two counties represents the annual carbon dioxide emissions of more than 5 million cars,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners and project manager, “The forest sector clearly has a large role to play in offsetting carbon emissions.”

An analysis of the forests and forest management of Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments in North Central Minnesota shows the opportunities for forest-based carbon credits in the region.

"The results give us an insight into carbon storage as one of the benefits of forest management in Minnesota," says Fernholz.

The "average” car getting twenty-one miles per gallon and driven 12,000 miles per year emits 6.6 tons of CO2 per year.

As part of the project, the counties evaluated an alternative management scenario that would sequester additional carbon beyond the current level. Under the alternative scenario, the additionality of 47,000 MTCO2e could be realized and would compensate for the annual emissions of an additional 7,000 cars. The alternative scenario modeled by Aitkin County would maintain existing total harvest volumes of wood and fiber.

"Our approach is to take an unbiased view of carbon credits," said Mark Jacobs, Land Commissioner with the Aitkin County Land Department, "working with national experts to determine the carbon resource on county managed forestlands. Once the extent of our carbon resource is determined we can make informed decisions weighing the pros and cons of the carbon trading systems."

The North Woods Carbon Credit Partnership utilized the counties' current inventory data and their management plans for their combined 475,000 acres of land. The project modeled forest growth and changes in carbon stocks over the next 5-10 years, typical time periods for marketing carbon credits.

"The model data shows the carbon sequestration implications of the counties' management over the past ten years and what their plans call for implementing in the future," says John Gunn, Senior Program Leader with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and lead researcher for the North Woods Carbon Credit Partnership.

Carbon credits are viewed as a positive opportunity by some and with skepticism by others; but every indication is that these markets will be a major factor in the coming years.

"The results give us a firm understanding of the scale and trade-offs of the opportunity so we can decide what next steps the county wants to take," says Josh Stevenson of the Cass County Land Department.

Philosophical differences aside, forest managers have the opportunity to position themselves to take advantage of this potentially lucrative market. The alternative scenarios modeled by each county could provide annual carbon credit revenues of $100,000 or more, even at current low market prices.

Voluntary markets currently exist to financially reward landowners for increasing forest carbon stocks. The standards used in voluntary forest carbon markets are changing rapidly, but provide insight into what a regulatory cap and trade system could require. Some consideration of the role of forests in national climate legislation is likely.

“The policy debate about climate change and carbon credits needs to include consideration of forest-based carbon and the opportunities that exist for management to increase carbon storage,” says Beth Jacqmain, Assistant Land Commissioner for Aitkin County and current State Chair for the Minnesota Society of American Foresters.

The results from the North Woods project show that currently each county has about 5 million tons of carbon stored in live trees and roots. The total forest-based (tree biomass) carbon stores in Minnesota were estimated at 280 million metric tons in a report prepared in 1995 with funding from the Minnesota Legislature. Studies of Lake States forests indicate that at least an equal amount of carbon is also stored in the dead standing and downed wood, as well as in the understory plants and belowground in the soil.

The project is being supported through a grant from the Blandin Foundation.

Dovetail Partners Calls for Greater Use of Certification

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:33:22 -0600

Opportunity to Expand Beyond Wood Certification to Other Building Materials

(Mpls, MN) – A new report from Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization, calls for greater use of certification and the expansion of programs to include certification of building materials beyond wood.

“There are currently no requirements in green building programs or incentives of any kind that steel, aluminum, concrete, plastic, glass, bamboo, or any material other than wood meet standards for environmental and social responsibility, despite the fact that substantial environmental and social impacts are associated with production of all of these materials,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, Director of the Responsible Materials Program for Dovetail and lead author of the report.

The report highlights the established use of certification programs for the evaluation of responsible sources of wood products, especially imported and tropical woods associated with the highest levels of environmental concern. Although bamboo, cement, iron, steel, aluminum and other building materials are also imported from many of the same regions of the world, there are currently no certification programs or standards for the responsible management and extraction of these materials.

“The forest sector has responded to the global demand for responsible forest management by establishing and participating in rigorous third-party certification programs and it is time for other industries to do the same,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The report notes that because of the lack of oversight as to where materials other than wood originate or how they are produced, there is little doubt that some of the materials finding their way each day into “green” buildings are anything but green.

“It is now time to begin moving toward certification of all materials used in construction, and the responsibility for initiating such change lies squarely with the leaders of green building programs, executives of the largest building materials distributors, environmental organizations, and environmentally concerned citizens,” concludes Bowyer.

The full report is available at the Dovetail website:
http://www.dovetailinc.org/files/DovetailCertMat0209.pdf

Local Certified Wood Products Meet Consumer Demands for Green Goods

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:50:34 -0600

(Aitkin, MN) - If you can brave the cold, you can see the green economy at work in Northern Minnesota where dozens of landowners, land managers and private companies have committed to producing certified wood and paper products that meet global standards for responsible forestry.

"We’ve been developing the linkages to support responsible forestry since the late ‘90s and you can see the benefits to the companies, the forests, and the consumers," says Ross Wagner, Economic Development & Forest Industry Coordinator in in Aitkin County.

Certification assures the customer that the products are sourced from forests that are managed to rigorous standards of responsible forestry. Certified forests are audited each year and reports are publically available.

Traditional forest products like lumber and paper are being produced by certified companies in Minnesota. Non-timber products such as balsam boughs and Christmas trees are also being harvested from Minnesota’s certified forests. Sappi Fine Paper in Cloquet buys certified pulpwood to support their customers’ demands for responsible paper.

“We’re seeing increased demand for certified products; pulp and paper. Certification has been a good move for our company and is an integral part of our paper business,” says Patrick Galdonik with Sappi Fine Paper North America, Cloquet, Minnesota; an FSC and SFI chain-of-custody certified business.

“In 2008, approximately 75% of the timber harvested from Aitkin County managed forestlands went to a FSC certified mill,” states Mark Jacobs Aitkin County Land Commissioner. “To illustrate the recent growth, that number was less than 5% just 3-years ago!”

This winter a full range of forest products have been harvested from certified public and private forestlands in Northern Minnesota.

One of the private woodland owners producing certified products is Roger Howard, former land commissioner for Aitkin County, wood crafter and artisan. Howard uses materials harvested from his own certified forest to produce a full range of items, including bowls, shelving, coat racks, household items, and picture frames. Howard recently filled an order for picture frames that used four different kinds of wood, all harvested from his land.

“Responsible forestry means managing for biodiversity and with that type of forestry you can produce a lot of different products that customers are interested in,” says Howard.

Howard has partnered with the Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to plan his forest management and have his forest certified. The local SWCD offers an FSC group certification program for landowners with at least 10 acres of forest in the county.

The Aitkin County Economic Development Coordinator also helps small businesses participate in certification. Neil Stecker of Custom Creations has been a member of the Upper Mississippi Certified Forest Products Group for a number of years. Custom Creations produces a full range of cabinets and fixtures using local, FSC-certified wood.

"The continued success of certification in Minnesota helps demonstrate how important the links are between responsible forest management and local businesses that depend on a sustainable wood supply," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a non-profit Minneapolis-based organization that helps land managers and forest product companies participate in forest certification opportunities.

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For more information:

Upper Mississippi Certified Forest Products Group
http://www.mncertifiedwood.com

Construction of 70-Mile Trail Project Begins

admin — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:31:06 -0600

Initial work includes clearing of the Phase I Right-of-Way

(Aitkin, MN) – Work has begun on the 70-Mile ATV/OHM trail in Aitkin and Itasca Counties. Contractors have been selected to begin clearing the right-of-way for the Phase One routes and to stockpile materials to be used in construction this summer.

“The initial work is being done during frozen ground conditions to minimize soil impacts,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner.

The Phase I routes for the project include the Lawler North and South Loops, the Solana Forest Loop, and connecting trails from Pengilly to Warba and between the North Soo Line and the Moose River trail system.

As work on the trail routes begins the counties are reminding trail riders to stay away from construction zones and to not use the routes until construction is complete.

“Although the trail clearing has begun, the trails won’t be ready for use for awhile. Riding on them before they are ready may cause damage that could result in additional construction costs and ultimately the trails being closed,” says Jacobs.

More information about the project is available at:
http://www.70miletrail.net

Yamaha Awards Grant of $10,000 to Aitkin County Land Department

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:11:45 -0600

Photo caption: Deb Olson from Farm Island Repair & Marine presents Yamaha OHV Access Initiative grant award to Mark Jacobs of the Aitkin County Land Department

Donation Supports 70-Mile Trail Project as a part of ongoing efforts to encourage safe, responsible riding and sustainable, open riding areas in Northern Minnesota

(Aitkin, MN) – The Aitkin County Land Department (ACLD) is pleased to announce it has received a Yamaha OHV Access Initiative grant of $10,000 to support the 70-Mile ATV/OHM Trail Project. The grant was awarded as part of Yamaha’s OHV Access Initiative promoting safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable riding areas. The funding will be used to develop signs and maps to support use of the trail, and youth safety classes are also being planned.

Farm Island Repair & Marine of Aitkin, a local Yamaha dealership, provided a letter of endorsement as part of the grant application.

“This project will help expand OHV trail and rider opportunities in North Central Minnesota and is well supported by local rider clubs and businesses,” says Deb Olson of Farm Island Repair & Marine.

The 70-Mile Trail Project includes the development of an extensive, first-rate ATV/OHM trail system in Aitkin and Itasca Counties. The trail is designed to be environmentally sensitive, economically beneficial and community supported.

“The counties completed the environmental review process for Phase I of the project and construction will begin this winter with initial right-of-way clearing and staging of materials,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commission.

More information about the project is available at:
http://www.70miletrail.net

Results of Carbon Project to be Presented at February Conference

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:04:03 -0600

Project Report to Summarize Carbon Credit Potential for Managed Forests

(Mpls, MN) The results of a carbon credit project involving public land managers in Northern Minnesota will be presented at a conference on February 26th.

"The findings of this project can help inform land managers who are interested in understanding what opportunities exist for forest-based carbon credits," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and project manager.

Started last November, the project has modeled carbon credit opportunities based upon the lands managed by the Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments. Both counties have had their forests certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for about ten years.

"We decided to participate in the Northwoods Carbon Credit Partnership because we are interested in determining what additional market values our forestlands offer," says Beth Jacqmain, of the Aitkin County Land Department.

The modeling work for the project has been completed by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, a research group in Maine that is experienced in carbon credit accounting projects.

"The project was designed to evaluate carbon credit potential using a number of different protocols and helps show the pros and cons of the approaches and their relevance to managed forests in Minnesota," says John Gunn, Senior Scientist with Manomet.

"We're interested in developing ecosystem markets, but we also wanted to design a project that could move everyone's understanding forward," says Josh Stevenson, of the Cass County Land Department.

The conference is being held February 25-27th at the Cloquet Forestry Center near Cloquet, Minnesota. The conference is sponsored by the Blandin Foundation as well as a number of other organizations. Additional information is available at the Blandin Foundation website:

http://www.blandinfoundation.org/news/news-events-detail.php?intResourceID=550

More than 100 Minnesota Companies Provide Green Products & Green Jobs

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:00:49 -0600

Crystal Cabinets is the latest company to achieve chain-of-custody certification

(Mpls, MN) More than one hundred companies in Minnesota have achieved chain-of-custody certification to produce and market certified forest products that meet the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

“Certification assures customers that the products they purchase come from forests that are responsibly managed,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit that provides authoritative information about the trade-offs and impacts of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use and policy alternatives.

The latest company to achieve FSC certification is Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc. in Princeton, Minnesota. Crystal Cabinets is a family-owned custom cabinet manufacturer.

“Crystal Cabinets has a track record as an environmentally responsible company with our Green Core cabinets and waste reduction commitments; adding FSC certification kicks it up a notch,” says Angela Ewald, Environmental, Health & Safety Manager with Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc.

Environmentally preferable and FSC-certified products are recognized in green building programs, including the LEED program of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

“Certified wood and building products are an important part of the green economy and support efforts to move toward the use of more environmentally friendly products,” says Fernholz.

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About Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc.
A family tradition that began in 1947, Crystal Cabinet Works, Inc. is a resilient and dynamic manufacturer of handcrafted cabinetry. For over 60 years, Crystal has taken great care in creating custom cabinetry with a durable, long-lasting finish.
http://www.crystalcabinets.com

Spring Workshop to Address Green Products for Wholesalers and Retailers

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:14:14 -0600

UPDATE 3/20/09: WORKSHOP POSTPONED UNTIL FALL 2009. TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION WHEN THE WORKSHOP IS RESCHEDULED - PLEASE CALL 612-333-0430 OR EMAIL INFO@DOVETAILINC.ORG.

Jan. 6, 2009 - (Mpls, MN) The Forest Products Management Development Institute (FPMDI) is hosting a one-day workshop on March 20th for wholesalers and retail distributors of building materials. The workshop, “Enhancing the Bottom Line Through Certified Forest Products: A Primer for Wholesalers and Retailers” will be held at the Radisson Suite Hotel in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

“We'll provide wholesale and retail building products distributors with critical information needed to successfully market certified wood and to better serve the growing green building market,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, one of the workshop presenters and a national authority on green building and the environmental performance of building materials.

The target audience for the event includes retail and wholesale building product distributors, manufacturers concerned about promoting their products as environmentally responsible, as well as people interested in learning more about certified wood products, green product markets and marketing, and the logistics of wood product certification.

“People who attend this event will learn the fundamentals of certified forest products and be able to go back to their organizations and take action with the information gained,” says Kathryn Fernholz, presenter and experienced certification auditor.

The connection between certified wood products and green building is also on the agenda for the conference. Current trends demonstrate that even in today's economy, green building continues to grow and offer business opportunities.

“A common element of green building programs is that they either require or reward the use of certified wood products, and businesses need to understand how to participate in chain-of-custody certification so their products qualify,” says Dr. Jeff Howe. Jeff has almost 15 years of experience running chain-of-custody certified companies, and he will walk workshop attendees through the certification process.

The Forest Products Management Development Institute is an entity of the University of Minnesota's Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering. Additional information and registration details are available from http://fpmdi.cfans.umn.edu or by calling 612-624-1293.

For more information contact Bob Seavey, Dept of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering: 612-624-3028 or bseavey@umn.edu.

New Partnership to Explore Ecosystem Service Markets for Northern Minnesota

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:35:27 -0600

Aitkin and Cass County Land Departments Collaborate with Dovetail Partners and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

(Mpls, MN) With the growing recognition of the importance of responsibly managed forests, a new partnership has been formed to identify opportunities to market forest-based ecosystem services.

"Carbon sequestration from increased carbon storage in trees and other vegetation is just one example of the beneficial environmental services forests provide; this project will also explore water quality benefits, habitat for wildlife, recreation and other opportunities," says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners.

The Minnesota North Woods Carbon Credit Partnership will use data from Aitkin and Cass County to identify potential market opportunities for forest-based carbon credits. The project will also explore other ecosystem service markets. Dovetail Partners is assisting with project management while the Manomet Center is conducting the data analysis and modeling.

"The potential may exist for forest managers in Minnesota to be recognized in a marketplace for the wildlife habitat and water quality protections that well-managed forests provide," says John Gunn, Senior Scientist with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.

A common prerequisite for marketing carbon credits and other services is third-party certification of the forest management practices. Both Aitkin and Cass County have had their county-managed lands certified by the SmartWood program of the Rainforest Alliance to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The county lands have been third-party certified for about ten years.

"The carbon credit market for managed forests in our region is largely unknown. This project will enable us to better understand the pros and cons; and make informed decisions regarding the pursuit of this promising forest-based benefit. Once completed, the project can serve as a template for other forestland owners in our region," says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner.

Some interest groups have expressed concerns about the validity of carbon credits from actively managed forests. One of the goals of the project is to help illustrate a real-life example of the challenges and opportunities associated with the emerging market for credible carbon offset projects.

"We hope to be able to solidify the public benefits from our public lands and show what might be possible," says Josh Stevenson, Cass County Land Department.

The project is being supported through a grant from the Blandin Foundation.

####

About Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is dedicated to sustainability and improving conditions for all life on earth. Founded forty years ago as an independent, nonprofit environmental research center, Manomet brings together stakeholders--communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses--and guides them through cooperative, science-based solution development.

Manomet's programs focus on enabling communities to measure, manage, and sustain natural systems and the wildlife and people dependent on them. Initiatives include Climate Change, Natural Capital, and Conservation of Migratory Wildlife.

About Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The mission of Dovetail is to provide authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use and policy alternatives. Dovetail excels at solving complex business problems and helping responsible firms to become successful.

www.dovetailinc.org

Education Conference for Sustainable Building Practices

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:33:33 -0600

Dec 5th event hosted by New Morning Windows to feature experts on green building, design and responsible materials

New Morning Windows will host an Education Conference for Sustainable Building Practices on December 5th. The event will be held at their Lakeville, Minnesota offices. The conference will feature experts on green building, design, and responsible materials.

“With the growing interest in green building, we thought it would be important to offer education about green practices and help introduce Minnesota's newest certification program for builders and architects,” says Alexis Bloomstrand, owner of New Morning Windows.

The Minnesota GreenStar program is a green building standard and certification program for new homes and remodeling projects.

“Minnesota GreenStar program has been designed with Minnesota in mind providing flexible strategies to help any residential project become green,” says Mike Williams, Executive Director of Minnesota GreenStar, and speaker at the Education Conference.

The target audience for the event is primarily builders and contractors. Architects and others with interests in green building are also welcome. The conference will include presentations that address passive solar design, geothermal systems, proper window installation, and reducing water usage through green design.

“Green building starts with good design and good planning, and it helps to understand your options before you get started,” says Alison Lindburg, Program Director with Dovetail Partners, and conference speaker.

Specific sessions at the conference will quality for Continuing Education Learning Credits. More information is available by contacting New Morning Windows at (952) 985-5454.

About New Morning Windows
New Morning Windows is a privately owned custom window manufacturer. New Morning Windows introduced the precision art of custom windows to the national building market nearly three decades ago. The company was the first United States wood window manufacturer to supply custom round-top windows with low-maintenance, aluminum-clad exterior, complex clad exterior divided-lite designs; and clad framed curved and corner glass units. New Morning Windows is determined to make the shift towards becoming a sustainable enterprise. New Morning Windows' ongoing goal is to move towards sustainability without sacrificing the quality and performance of our product.
www.newmorningwindows.com

About Minnesota GreenStar
Minnesota GreenStar is a Green building standard and certification program for both existing and new homes that promotes healthy, durable and high performance homes. Minnesota GreenStar seeks to transform the Minnesota residential building industry into where the healthy and sustainable building practices are understood, economically advantageous and socially desirable.
www.mngreenstar.org

About Dovetail Partners Inc.
Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The mission of Dovetail is to provide authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use and policy alternatives. Dovetail excels at solving complex business problems and helping responsible firms to become successful.
www.dovetailinc.org

Family Forests Alliance Year-End Report

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:31:52 -0600

2009 Action Plan Priorities Identified

(New Gloucester, Maine) – Following an annual meeting in New Gloucester, Maine, the core organizers for the FSC Family Forests Alliance announce the year-end accomplishments and the strategic direction for 2009.

“Over the past two years the Alliance has been active in helping connect FSC stakeholders around family forest issues, as well as investing time and energy in the FSC standards revision process,” said Kathryn Fernholz, past-Secretariat for the Alliance and Executive Director for Dovetail Partners, an Alliance partner.

In 2007, the Alliance hosted a national gathering at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. The outcomes of that gathering defined the Alliance’s 2008 Action Plan. Since that meeting the Alliance has been focused on efforts to develop family forest standards as a part of the FSC standards revision process. Alliance partners have also initiated carbon credit projects for family forest owners, supported marketing alliances and participated in FSC’s global efforts with small forest holders. The Alliance is now turning its attention towards the development of a national strategy for supporting expanded family forest certification.

“We’re seeing strong signals from multiple markets that are leading to very real opportunities for family forests, particularly in certain regions of the country,” says Ian Hanna, FSC-US board member and Alliance partner. “One of the next steps is to see how we can best aggregate each group’s regional activities with some form of national infrastructure.”

During 2008, a priority for the Alliance has been participating in the five-year cycle of the FSC’s standards revision process. One important component of this process has been the development of indicators that will be applied to certification assessments on small-scale family forest properties.

“We’re anxious to see the standards revision process come to fruition soon and move into the next stages of field testing and implementation,” says John Gunn, member of the FSC standards working group and Alliance partner.

The new 2009 Action Plan for the Alliance prioritizes the expansion of family forest certification. The plan includes supporting group certification initiatives and growing the capacity of group managers to expand their membership and landowner recruitment efforts. The Alliance will also continue to develop innovative opportunities for landowners to participate in ecosystem service markets.

In keeping with the spirit this shared alliance of organizations, the Alliance partners named Kate Albert Read of The Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands as the new Secretariat for a two year term.

“The Alliance is a key organization for expanding the benefits of forest certification to family woodland owners and 2009 promises to be another year of inventive growth and development,” says Kate Albert Read.

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More information is available at the FSC Family Forests Alliance website: http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Alison Lindburg selected for Sweden Group Study Exchange

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:29:32 -0600

Tour to explore sustainable eco-communities

Minneapolis, MN - Alison Lindburg, director of the Eco-Affordable Housing program at Dovetail Partners, was recently selected to be a team member for the Rotary Club's Group Study Exchange program. The program includes a tour to Sweden in March 2009. Four people were selected to participate in the month-long program that will highlight efforts in Sweden to develop and maintain sustainable eco-communities. The tour will include exploring The Natural Step process, carbon neutrality, and the Rotary Club's motto, “service above self.”

A Rotary District 5960 GSE team will arrive in Gothenburg, Sweden, on March 4, 2009 and depart from Sweden on April 1, 2009. Rotary offers this opportunity to spend a month living with local Rotarians and seeing the country in a way few will ever experience. The exchange will emphasize the efforts underway in Sweden to develop and maintain sustainable eco-communities.

“I'm very excited by how this exchange could help inform sustainability efforts in small communities in Minnesota and elsewhere,” says Lindburg. “The Rotary Club has provided a spectacular opportunity to learn from leaders in sustainability.”

Group Study Exchange (GSE) is a unique educational experience that furthers international understanding by providing an opportunity for outstanding business and professional people to study another country, its people, its culture and its institutions. Each GSE team visits a Rotary district in another country for four weeks. Team members stay in the homes of Rotarians, if possible, and follow an itinerary of educational and cultural points of interest. Travel and living expenses are covered during the exchange by The Rotary Foundation, host country Rotarians and Rotary District 5960.

Lindburg plans to document the exchange experiences on her blog as a means to share it with others, available at:http://greenbuildingmatters.blogspot.com/

For more information: http://www.rotary5960.org/showDoc.cfm?pDoc=343

Mini-Conference in Warren Provides Green Building Tips for Homeowners

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:28:14 -0600

October 7, 2008 (Mpls, MN) - Homeowners, business-owners, students, and building contractors from northwestern Minnesota gathered at the Bremer Bank in Warren on September 20th to attend a Green Building and Energy Mini-conference. The conference, sponsored by Marvin Windows and Bremer Bank, was hosted by the non-profit organization Dovetail Partners and the Warren Economic Development Authority (WEDA). The event was part of an effort to bring green building resources to rural Minnesota and enhance local economic development.

Attendees at the conference learned about sustainable building techniques and shared personal experiences with trying to be green.

“It all makes sense when you think about it,” says LeRoy Vonasek, a Warren resident with a geothermal heating and cooling system. “I took a lot of notes today and now I have a few more things I can do to my own home to be more ‘green'.”

One educational session included an on-site energy assessment of a local resident's home by the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council (TVOC). “There is a high demand for energy assessments right now,” says Jason Carlson of TVOC. “Our main focus is to help people, so it was great to be involved in this educational program and demonstrate what an energy assessment actually looks like.”

“Getting your home tested for energy-efficiency seems like a really important starting point to saving money,” says John Golden, a Warren homeowner. “I had no idea this service existed, and that the cost was so reasonable. It's a no-brainer.”

The conference also hit on some key points regarding the use of local materials as being both environmentally friendly and good for the local economy. Warren-area green projects and green business initiatives were also highlighted.

“Minnesota has many different local building products, but it can be difficult to know where to start,” states Alison Lindburg, director of Dovetail Partners' Eco-Affordable Housing program. “This project will help pave the way for future builders to use local materials and answer questions related to green building.”

Dovetail is planning on building a Minnesota-Made Home in Warren that will be energy-efficient, focus on local materials, and be affordable to someone in the community to purchase. The home will also be used as a demonstration tool for other residents and contractors to learn from.

WEDA has hopes to put together another green conference this winter, and Dovetail is planning additional green conferences for other rural communities as well.

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Dovetail Partners and Aitkin County host international forestry and green building tour

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:25:07 -0600

Two Cochran Fellows from Guatemala recently toured Aitkin County forests, wood product manufacturers and a local green building project. The tour was aimed at addressing interests in forest-based economic development opportunities.

“In natural resource rich areas like Northern Minnesota and Guatemala there is strong interest in maximizing value-added opportunities and

creating local value chains that support regional economic development,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit supporting the tour.

The Cochran fellows included Francisco Escobedo, General Manager of the Forestry Association of Guatemala, and Andres Bosch, whose small forestry and milling operation in Guatemala processes many different wood products including flooring, siding, and components for prefabricated homes. The Aitkin County Land Department, Aitkin County Economic Development, Aitkin Soil and Water Conservation District, and Dovetail Partners organized and hosted the event.

“The tour was very well-rounded and informative, and we were impressed by the hospitality,” stated tour participant Dave Perez of the US Forest Service. “Some gaps in the Fellows understanding of forest management in the United States were filled, and it was a great opportunity for them to compare and contrast management in Guatemala.”

At the Aitkin FSC Home, participants learned about green building efforts and the different types of local wood used in the home's construction, including the basswood ceiling that involved five local businesses - from loggers to installers - and stayed local to the region.

The word “Guatemala” means “Land of Forests” in the indigenous language and despite the obvious differences in geography, there are similarities between Guatemala and Minnesota.

“These forests remind me a lot of home,” stated Fellow Francisco Escobedo. “Besides the tropical rain forests, of course.”

“It's interesting to compare our similarities and differences,” stated Mark Jacobs of the Aitkin County Land Department. “They export a high-value species like mahogany but most of their pine is utilized for local home construction. Also, they have no paper industry but a big demand for local-use firewood.”

The tour addressed products that utilize small diameter wood, including local FSC-certified maple millwork that obtained its high character appearance because it came from smaller-diameter trees that were thinned as part of the sustainable forestry practices in the area.

Visits to a sustainably-managed FSC-certified forest, tours of local businesses that included Aitkin Hardwoods and Hawkins Sawmill as well as the stop at the Aitkin FSC Home completed the loop from seeing the forest to the end product.

“It is easy to forget where products we use and enjoy come from. Wood is a beautiful and diverse building material and seeing it managed responsibly and recognized as a valuable local resource compliments its natural beauty,” says Alison Lindburg, Director of the Eco-Affordable Housing Program of Dovetail Partners and manager of the Aitkin FSC Home project.

The tour in Aitkin was part of a larger North American forest products tour sponsored by the International Programs of the US Forest Service. The tour was put together as an effort to show the Cochran Fellows new markets for wood products, small and round wood utilization, furniture innovation and design, sustainable forest products, and other value-added wood products. Aitkin County was specifically chosen for their involvement in sustainable forestry, small-scale operations, and concentrated use of local materials.

The Guatemalan Cochran Fellows also visited an International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta, Georgia, the US Forest Service Forest Products Lab in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Natural Resources Research Institute in Duluth, Minnesota.

Green Building Mini-Conference to be held September 20th in Warren, Minnesota

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:22:29 -0600

(9/4/08) Dovetail Partners and the Warren Economic Development Authority (WEDA) are hosting a mini-conference on green building for homebuilders and homeowners. The event will focus on energy efficiency and how to “green” the rebuilding effort in the City of Warren while also enhancing local economic development. Conference sponsors include Marvin Windows and Doors and Bremer Bank.

“With rising energy costs, we see a lot of questions concerning energy efficiency and how to make homes more green,” says Phil Thompson of WEDA. “With all of the building going on here, this is the place to do it.”

The conference is targeted towards homeowners and homebuilders. The information will help home construction contractors understand what green building is and give ideas for how green can give an edge in the housing market. The event will also show how to become involved in local green projects and provide a hands-on demonstration of a home energy assessment.

“There aren't a lot of these types of events in this part of Minnesota, but the demand is definitely there,” says Alison Lindburg, director of the Eco-Affordable Housing program at Dovetail Partners. “We hope people from all over the area will be able to attend.”

The mini-conference will be held at the Bremer Bank in Warren on Saturday, September 20. It is free to attend but registration is required. Register by calling (218) 745-5343 or for more information visit: www.dovetailinc.org

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Environmental Awareness Could Lead to Wood Re-emerging as the Green Material of Choice

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:20:07 -0600

Minneapolis, MN (08/25/08) - When people understand the true environmental impact of various building materials, wood could re-emerge as the material of choice. So claims a leading authority on the environmental impact of building materials in an article published in a recent issue (July-August 2008) of Forest Products Journal.

James Bowyer, Director of the Responsible Materials Program of Dovetail Partners and University of Minnesota emeritus professor of bioproducts and biosystems engineering, writes that, “As people become more knowledgeable about environmental life-cycle assessment, and as bioenergy and carbon storage and mitigation move to the forefront of public discourse, wood could well re-emerge as the environmental material of choice for the 21st century and beyond.”

Dr. Bowyer's analysis runs counter to claims that using wood is somehow bad for the environment and to popular standards for so-called green construction that discourage the use of wood.

Life-cycle assessment is a process that analyzes the environmental and social impact of producing and using a material such as wood, concrete, or steel. The process involves systematic evaluation of the use of resources and the resulting environmental impacts of a product from resource extraction and through manufacturing, distribution, use, maintenance, and end of life.

“Ironically, it may be environmental issues that cause society to 'rediscover' wood,” Dr. Bowyer writes. “Current attention to carbon, for instance, could bring active forest management and use of wood squarely to the forefront in a society seeking solutions to the threat of climate change.”

Dr. Bowyer explains that wood is the only building material that faces requirements that it be certified that it has been produced in a way that doesn't harm ecosystems. “There are no requirements or incentives for certification of steel, aluminum, concrete products or any other construction material,” he writes. This could lead to increased interest in wood. “An environmentally conscious customer who wants assurance that the materials he or she is specifying or about to purchase were produced in an environmentally responsible manner can only find that assurance in one line of products: certified wood,” he explains.

One obstacle to the increased use of wood, according to Dr. Bowyer, is widespread misinformation about forest conditions and wood.

“Surveys of student and young adults' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge regarding environmental topics over the past several decades have all pointed to deep and pervasive misinformation among this age group. . . . Students were found to consistently underestimate the current extent of forests as compared to original forest cover, to believe that the United States is being rapidly deforested and that annual timber removals exceed growth . . . As homeowners, parents, and voters of today, and the business, community, and legislative leaders of tomorrow, attitudes they gained early-on are likely to influence decisions and to guide future behavior,” he writes.

Dr. Bowyer's remarks are contained in an article titled “The Green Movement and the Forest Products Industry,” which describes how the green movement and other environmental initiatives have shaped the forest products industry, especially in the United States.

Last year, in a previous article published in Forest Products Journal, Dr. Bowyer challenged many of the assumptions and existing guidelines for so-called green construction, pointing out, among other things, that a number of materials listed as environmentally preferable by green building organizations have demonstrably greater environmental impacts than nonfavored alternatives.

In addition to holding the title of Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering and Director of the Responsible Materials Program of Dovetail Partners, Inc.-a Minneapolis-based nonprofit consulting firm-Dr. Bowyer is President of Bowyer & Associates, Inc., a wood science and bioenergy consulting firm. He is an Elected Fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science, chairman of the Tropical Forest Foundation (Alexandria, Virginia), and member of the Governance Board and chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Temperate Forest Foundation (Portland, Oregon).

Bowyer was founder and Director of the Forest Products Management Development Institute at the University of Minnesota from 1994-2003. He served as project leader of the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station project “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Bio-based Materials and Products” from 1988 to 2003, and he also led a research team focused on global raw materials consumption and supply trends for more than 30 years.

Bowyer has published more than 270 articles dealing with wood science and technology, environmental life-cycle analysis, and environmental aspects of forestry, timber harvest, and wood use. He is also coauthor of the leading introductory wood science textbook, Forest Products & Wood Science-an introduction, now in its 5th edition.

The Forest Products Journal is a monthly journal containing mostly reviewed articles reporting on research involving forests and forest products. It is published by the Forest Products Society, an international professional membership organization with headquarters in Madison, Wis. The complete text of Dr. Bowyer's article is available by clicking here (pdf).

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For more information, contact Dovetail Partners at info@dovetailinc.org or 612-333-0430. For more information about the Forest Products Journal, contact George Couch, via e-mail at george@forestprod.org, or phone 608-231-1361, ext 214.

Aitkin County to Develop Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:17:20 -0600

Dovetail Partners Assists in Public Engagement

(Mpls, MN - August 19, 2008) - The Aitkin County Land Department has initiated the development of an updated Comprehensive Recreation Trail Plan. The plan will guide recreation trail management activities on county-managed lands. Dovetail Partners is assisting with project coordination and public engagement.

'“Aitkin County offers a full range of recreation opportunities throughout the year, but not every activity is a good fit for every acre,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner.

“The goal of the planning process is to identify which recreation uses best fit which areas so that conflicts can be minimized and resources protected,” says Jacobs.

The county is also interested in planning for new and emerging recreation opportunities including water trails that would allow for expanded kayaking and canoe trips. There is also interest in geo-caching, a relatively new and growing recreation group.

“Aitkin County is in a good position to develop a plan that will map out recreation trails uses that will work well now and for years to come,” says Jacobs.

An Ad hoc committee has been formed to advise in the plan development. The committee includes representatives from throughout the county and with diverse recreation interests. Public meetings will also be held as the plan is developed.

Additional project information is available at the project website or by contacting Dovetail Partners at 612-333-0430,info@dovetailinc.org

Got Questions About Green? Ask the Green Doctor!

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:15:38 -0600

Dovetail Partners Offers New Resource for Finding Environmental Answers

(Mpls, MN) - How can I cool my home without turning on the air conditioner? Why should my company look into certification? What are some basic rules-of-thumb for choosing green products?

If you have questions about “green,” there is a new tool for finding answers. Dr. Jeff Howe - The Green Doctor, is in!

With a Ph.D. in green business and more than 35 years of experience with nearly every aspect of green, Dr. Howe really is The Green Doctor.

“I've done it all - from green building to green retail - and I've been a life-long environmentally-conscious consumer who has tested and re-tested every new product and green innovation I can find,” says Howe, The Green Doctor and founder of Dovetail Partners, a Minneapolis-based non-profit.

Dovetail Partners has launched the new service “Ask the Green Doctor?” to help people find answers to their environmental questions.

“Everyone has questions about green and is looking for a way to find quick, high-quality answers from someone who really knows their stuff and has the expertise to back it up,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director for Dovetail Partners.

Through the Dovetail website and the Green Doctor email address (greendoctor@dovetailinc.org), visitors can submit questions and get answers quickly and personally. Summaries of recent questions and answers are also available at the website (www.askthegreendoctor.org).

“Environmental choices can seem complex whether you're trying to make decisions for your family or for a Fortune 500 company, and I should know, since I've been making green decisions in both of these arenas for more than 30 years,” says Howe.

For more information, visit: http://www.askthegreendoctor.org

Aitkin-Itasca 70-Mile OHV Trail EAW Now Available

admin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:15:43 -0600

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

28 July 2008

Contact: Terry Neff, Aitkin County Environmental Services Director, (218) 927-7342

Aitkin-Itasca 70-Mile OHV Trail EAW Now Available

The Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for Phase I of the 70-Mile OHV Trail Project is now available.

The project connects three existing recreational trails in an extensive, quality ATV/OHV trail system in Aitkin and Itasca Counties, Minnesota. The new designated trail is designed to be environmentally sensitive, economically beneficial, and community supported. A project goal is to reduce natural resource impacts associated with unregulated cross-country travel. Overall the project includes an estimated 60.2 miles of trail with 47.3 miles (79%) located on existing logging trails. There are 12.9 miles of new trail construction proposed.

A copy of the EAW is available for public review at the Aitkin County Courthouse, 209 2nd St. NW Room #100 Aitkin, MN 56431. The EAW is also posted at the project website: http://www.70miletrail.net

Click here to download the EAW (pdf, 7.2 MB).

A 30-day public review and comment period will begin on August 11, 2008, with the publication of the notice of availability of this EAW in the EQB Monitor. Aitkin County invites public comments on the EAW during the public review period from August 11th to September 10, 2008.

Written comments on the EAW must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday September 10, 2008 to the attention of:

Terry Neff, Aitkin County Environmental Services Director

209 2nd St. NW Room #100

Aitkin, MN 56431

Electronic or e-mail comments may be sent to aitkinpz@co.aitkin.mn.us with “70-Mile OHV Trail EAW” in the subject line. If submitting comments electronically, please include your name and mailing address. Written comments may also be sent by fax to (218) 927-4372.

For additional information, or to request copies of the EAW, please call (218) 927-7342.

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UPDATE: Click here to Download the Final Record Of Decision approved by the Aitkin County Board of Commissioners on October 28, 2008.

For more information, visit the project website at http://www.70MileTrail.net

Great Lakes Surges in Forest Certification

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:14:17 -0600

Study shows region faces continued growth

GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. (June 23, 2008) – The Great Lakes region (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario) holds 30 percent of North America’s forest lands certified for sustainability, according to research commissioned by the Blandin Foundation and released today at a meeting of the Great Lakes Forest Alliance.

The study, conducted by a research team of Dovetail Partners (Minneapolis, Minn.) found that certifications through leading programs Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) in the region have “undergone another wave of growth, and further accomplishments are expected before the end of 2008.”

According to Dovetail, some of the most significant growth has been achieved in the number of companies that hold FSC or SFI chain-of-custody certificates, which allow for manufacture and labeling of certified products. “In just the past eight months, at least 120 more companies—a leap of 39 percent--in this region have achieved chain-of-custody certification to allow them to label and market certified products,” said Kathryn Fernholz, executive director of Dovetail Partners and author of the report. Minnesota led this growth with a 56 percent increase.

By the end of the year, according to the report, the Great Lakes region also is likely to see 23% growth in certification of forest lands themselves, including a potential surge from Wisconsin of 3.5 million acres. As of June 2008, slightly more than 60 million acres in the Great Lakes region are certified through FSC and SFI.

“This is invigorating news,” said Bernadine Joselyn, director of Public Policy and Engagement for the Blandin Foundation. “With the continued growth of certification in the region, consumers can buy locally produced products from responsibly managed forests and help support progressive land management as well as our rural economies.”

“The land owners and managers in this region continue to demonstrate a commitment to responsible forest management while being responsive to the demands of the marketplace,” agreed Stefan Bergmann, executive director for the Great Lakes Forest Alliance, the collaboration between public and private forest owners and managers from the region.

Mississippi State to Lead Exploration of Forest Sector Business Clustering

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:13:04 -0600

Study team includes University of Missouri and Dovetail Partners

June 6, 2008 -- Mississippi State University will administratively coordinate the Endowment's newest project, the "state-of-the-issue" report on business clustering within the forest products sector (RFP 2008-003) nationally. They are joined by the University of Missouri and Dovetail Partners as subcontractors. The work commenced last week with a gathering in Minnesota and is targeted for completion no later than November 30st. Diane Snyder, Endowment Vice President-Community Development said, "The team will review business clusters currently active in the United States and will focus on examination of clustering approaches in the forest products sector and closely related natural resource-based sectors, nationally as well as internationally." The research will explore the partnerships, policies, and support mechanisms that make clustering successful and will be supplemented with analysis of socioeconomic indicators associated with these clusters.

Economic clustering approaches in the forest sector (RFP 2008-003) of the United States include diverse timber and non-timber forest products as well as forest-based services such as consumptive and non-consumptive recreation opportunities. The thoughtful design of economic clusters can support the retention and expansion of jobs as well as the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base. Increasing our understanding about clustering will help the Endowment build out the information base in developing the basis for Forest Investment Zones as well as provide the broader sector with important information.

More information about The U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Inc.is available at their website.

FSC Identifies Next Steps for Family Forest Certification

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:09:39 -0600

International Meeting Participants Define the Opportunities

Minneapolis, MN (27 May 2008) -More than 60 family forest advocates from around the world gathered for three days in Lisbon, Portugal from May 7-10th to identify opportunities for improving family forest access to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

The US delegates at the meeting included non-profits, businesses and representatives of the FSC-US National Initiative. The outcomes of the meeting form the strategy for increasing certified acreage of family forests across the globe.

“By some measures, the FSC is the world's fastest growing forest certification program, but the certification of family forests has been slow,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Minneapolis-based Dovetail Partners, and a meeting participant.

In the United States, about 650,000 acres of family forestland are currently FSC-certified. Plans are under way to triple this number before the end of the year.

“Across the US, family forestlands provide the majority of the wood supplies that the market needs and the demand for certified supply is quickly increasing” says John Gunn of Maine's Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands, and a meeting participant.

The meeting identified actions for reducing costs associated with certification, increasing landowner benefits, and improving communications. A full meeting report will be released. (Meeting report now available: Creating “The Lisbon Process” A Report on the FSC-WWF Lisbon Conference on Smallholder and Community-based Forestry Operations 7-10 May 2008 )

“The meeting served to highlight the similarity in issues faced by many countries across the globe, including a need for family forest-relevant standards, group certification, and access to technical resources. We are now engaged, collectively, in making these happen,” says Gunn.

“The FSC and our partners know that we need to expand certification for small forest holders . This is a key part of our mission to improve forest stewardship around the world,” says Alan Smith, FSC-International Center and meeting host.

In the US, the FSC-US is actively engaged in a standards revision process that will result in family forest-relevant standards and guidance.

“This is one of our core efforts to extend the benefits of certification to family forests” says Corey Brinkema, FSC-US President.

The FSC Family Forests Alliance is a key partner to this and other efforts. Formed in 2006 and focused on family forest certification in the United States, the Alliance is a collaborative of landowners and organizations from around the country.

“The Alliance is helping expand certification opportunities for family forests in the United States and can be a model for how support systems could be developed in other countries,” says Ian Hanna, a core-organizer for the Alliance and FSC-US Board Member.

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More information is available at the FSC Family Forests Alliance website: http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

Dovetail Partners Says Carbon Credits Should be More Inclusive

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:08:04 -0600

Carbon Storage and Low-Energy Intensity of Wood Products Need to Be Considered

Minneapolis, MN (4/28/08) - Carbon credits and carbon sequestration are in the news almost daily. Policymakers and the public continue to raise concerns about the need to address greenhouse gas emissions.

“Beyond even the global warming considerations, there is a basic need to look at air quality and take action to reduce impacts wherever possible,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis and providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental decisions, including consumption choices, land use, and policy alternatives.

A Dovetail Report released today addresses the opportunities for consumer choices to result in additional carbon storage and reductions in fossil fuel use.

“At a time when mankind is searching for ways to capture the power of the sun, it turns out that one of society's principal construction materials – wood – is produced almost entirely from solar energy,” says Dr. Jim Bowyer, the lead author of the report and internationally recognized responsible materials researcher.

In current protocols for reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon sequestration, the storage of carbon within wood products has been ignored. The low energy intensity (and even lower fossil fuel intensity) of wood products has also been left off the table.

“These omissions are significant since in the United States alone carbon stored within wood products is over one-third that being sequestered annually within the nation's forests,” says Bowyer.

The data on carbon storage in wood products and their low-energy intensity is increasingly well documented and readily available.

“Our research leads us to believe the time is right and strong opportunities exist for carbon protocols and markets for carbon credits to recognize the carbon storage benefits of wood products,” says Fernholz.

Family Forest Certification Moves Forward

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:05:23 -0600

FSC-US and FSC Family Forests Alliance Announce Next Steps in Standards Development Process

Minneapolis, MN (4/16/08) - Forest product and forestland certification are rapidly gaining recognition in the marketplace as vehicles for rewarding responsible forest management practices. More than 250 million acres of forests are certified around the world under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard. Despite the growth in forest certification, it is often difficult for small ownerships and family forests to participate.

“Family forests are an important part of the landscape and provide critically important ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration, water quality protection, and wildlife habitat,” says Corey Brinkema, President of FSC-US.

At meetings held in Minneapolis on April 7th and 8th, the FSC-US undertook the next steps for expanding family forest certification opportunities in the United States.

“In the U.S. almost 60% of the forests are privately owned and it is important to include these lands in forest stewardship efforts,” says Kathryn Fernholz, Executive Director of Dovetail Partners and Secretariat for the FSC Family Forests Alliance, a collaborative group that is advocating for expanded access to FSC certification opportunities for small privately owned forests.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the fastest growing global forest certification program and is endorsed by the world's leading environmental and social non-governmental organizations. In the U.S, the FSC has developed a Family Forests Program to ensure small landowners will be able to receive the benefits of FSC certification and sell their products under the FSC label.

“Our Family Forests Working Group was brought together to complete a process of reviewing the existing FSC certification standards and to offer recommendations on how to more effectively engage small landowners,” says Brinkema.

The FSC-US's Family Forests Working Group includes representatives from the FSC Family Forests Alliance and other stakeholders.

“My hope, and the hope of other Working Group members, is to use our many years of experience working with family forest certification, and the lessons we've learned to help make the program work better for everyone while still maintaining the high standards that are expected of FSC certification,” says John Gunn of the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands, an Alliance core organizer.

Additional meetings of the working group are planned in May 2008, and a public review and comment period will be announced later this summer. The full standards review and approval process is anticipated to be completed before the end of the year.

For more information:

http://www.familyforestsalliance.org

As a City Rebuilds, Green is the Way to Go

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:02:40 -0600

Dovetail Partners and the Warren Economic Development Authority Pursue Green Building Project

Warren, MN (3/19/08) - At a recent planning meeting, the Warren Economic Development Authority (WEDA) determined that building green homes and offering green education is a step in the right direction for rebuilding a community hit by severe flooding in 1996 and 1997.

The county seat lost over four dozen homes in the three major floods in 1996 and 1997 . A water diversion structure was constructed to divert the water away from the city. Last year, confirmation was received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to redraw the floodplains and lift building restrictions.

“Green building makes sense in terms of ecology,” says Phil Thompson, President of WEDA. “It's also very cost-effective and good for the area.”

Dovetail Partners, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis and working throughout the region, has partnered with WEDA to identify green opportunities for the reconstruction.

“Warren is a great community with an opportunity to rebuild and incorporate the latest green building possibilities into the process,” said Alison Lindburg, Director of Dovetail's Eco-Affordable Housing Program.

The recent planning meeting was held to discuss green building concepts for multiple projects in the city of Warren and included representatives from WEDA, Dovetail Partners, Argyle Building Center, and Marshall County Group Homes, Inc. The partners are working to define what “green” means for them and have decided that community education is necessary.

“It is great to have organizations like Dovetail willing to come all the way out here to teach us about green,” says Derald Mercil of Argyle Building Center.

“Right now, energy conservation and keeping jobs in the local area is important to us,” Thompson says.

With the floodplains successfully redrawn, the City is in the process of rebuilding their community. Part of this vision involves construction of a handicapped group home and a new professional building.

Marshall County Group Homes, Inc. plans to construct a new 4 bedroom home for individuals with developmental disabilities or related conditions.

“We'd like to build an energy-efficient building that has low utility bills and is comfortable for its residents,” says Sue Holter of Marshall County Group Homes, Inc.

Karl Frigaard of WEDA and Northwest Community Action Agency agrees, "Incorporating green concepts and design input from Marshall County Group Home employees, clients and the clients' families will result in a plan that will keep employees and clients happy to live and work in the Marshall County Group Home.”

Dovetail is aiding in the review of the floor plan for the home and helping incorporate green design considerations. Possible green features include passive solar orientation and natural daylighting, a geothermal heating system, and high-efficiency locally-manufactured windows.

A new professional building in the heart of downtown also has plans for exploring green options. An energy-efficient heating/cooling system, locally manufactured materials, and achieving the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria are all possibilities. This project is in the preliminary design phase and hopes to break ground in 2008. Dovetail Partners will be aiding in the review of the floor plan and helping plan educational events around the construction.

“These projects are a way to improve the local economy by working with local contractors and materials and offering community education,” says Doug Safar, WEDA member and board member of Marshall County Group Homes, Inc. “It'll benefit all of us.”

As the projects break ground, there are opportunities for contractor training on green building techniques. Dovetail Partners' green assistance in the community is currently funded by the Otto Bremer Foundation, a charitable trust that authorizes grants to nonprofit organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

WEDA and Dovetail are exploring possibilities of building a green demonstration home in Warren to engage the local community. The partners are currently discussing options on building in a highly-visible new development on the edge of town that could influence other new homes around it to be green, or to build on an infill lot inside town that has existing infrastructure.

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More information:

City of Warren

Warren, population 1,678, is the county seat for Marshall County. It is located in the northwestern corner of Minnesota, sixty miles south of the Canadian border and fifteen miles east of North Dakota in the Red River Valley. The Warren Economic Development Authority (WEDA) is an organization in the City of Warren that works with the community to help enhance local economic development.

Marshall County Group Homes

The Marshall County Group Homes, Inc. is a private non-profit corporation that gives services to individuals with developmental disabilities in their Marshall County homes. This currently includes 5 Adult Foster Care Homes with Waivered Services and an In Home Family Support Program.

Dovetail Partners

Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors by collaborating to develop unique concepts, systems, models and programs. The objective of Dovetail's Eco-Affordable Housing Program is to discover solutions that promote and sustain resources and community. The program aims to create environmental awareness, to demonstrate the use of housing as an economic development tool for rural communities, and to facilitate the process of obtaining and constructing eco-affordable housing so that it may be replicated easily.

Otto Bremer Foundation
The Otto Bremer Foundation is a charitable trust that authorizes grants to nonprofit organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Otto Bremer arrived in the United States from Germany in 1886. Over the next 35 years, he became a successful banker and a deeply involved citizen. In 1944, Bremer's knowledge and concern for the strengths and hardships of the rural and immigrant experience, coupled with his commitment to countryside banks, lead to the formation of the Otto Bremer Foundation. In creating a foundation, Bremer sought to insure theperpetuation of the Bremer banks and the ultimate return of his personal wealth to his "family" of communities. Sixty plus years later, the Otto Bremer Foundation continues to honor Bremer's wishes by carrying out his expressed interests and concerns. As a major shareholder of Bremer Financial Corporation, the Foundation gives priority to communities where Bremer banks are also present. In accordance with the principles set forth in his trust agreement, the mission of the Otto Bremer Foundation is to assist people in achieving full economic, civic and social participation in and for the betterment of their communities. Beneficiaries must reside in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota or Montana, with preference given to those in regions served by Bremer banks.

For further information: Alison Lindburg, Dovetail Partners Inc., tel: 612-333-0430 info@dovetailinc.org

70-Mile Trail Project Moves Forward

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:01:51 -0600

New Maps Now Available

Aitkin, MN (2/15/08) – With input from hundreds of stakeholders and under the direction of a committee that has been meeting since last summer, the 70-Mile Trail Project continues to move forward in north-central Minnesota. New maps of revised trail alignments have been released.

“The project has followed a process that aims to be responsive to public input and the needs of the community,” says Brian Napstad, Aitkin County Commissioner and Committee Chair.

The project includes approximately 70 miles of new ATV/OHM recreational trail to be located in Aitkin and Itasca Counties. The project was proposed by the Land Departments in Aitkin and Itasca Counties and is supported with state funding through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

“The committee hosted public meetings last November and has received input from hundreds of stakeholders,” says Mark Jacobs, Aitkin County Land Commissioner and Committee Member.

A summary of public comments and responses from the committee is available at the project website. ( www.70miletrail.net ) One of the goals of the project has been to take a systems approach to managing motorized recreation in the area.

“Integrating new trails with what's already on the ground will create systems that users can enjoy,” says Steve Aysta, Itasca County Forest Recreation Specialist and Committee Member.

Based on feedback from the public and preliminary environmental reviews, the committee decided at its January 29th meeting to endorse a phased approach and to prioritize a group of four proposed trails during the first phase. An additional group of trails will be reviewed and alignments will be refined so they can be developed as part of the second phase.

“Taking a phased approach offers a lot of benefits,” says Len Hardy, of the All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota, and member of the committee. “We can move forward with getting some new trails on the ground while making sure the phase two trail alignments get a closer look to address concerns that were raised from the public and during the review.”

Information and maps related to the project are available at the project website. The next meeting of the Oversight Committee is on Wednesday, February 20th at 6:00PM at the Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade, Minnesota.

For more information, visit the project website at http://www.70MileTrail.net