The Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee (WCSIC) has partnered with the Tree Frog Forestry News to host Wildfire Resilience and Awareness Week. Under the SFI Forest Management Standard, certified organizations are required to limit the susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire and raise community awareness of wildfire benefits, risks, and minimization measures. With the start of fire season in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest, the Tree Frog Forestry News saw this as an opportunity to work with some of our sponsors to give voice to experts in the field of wildfire management. The WCSIC team helped us create a Wildfire Resource Page to share information and communications tools with our readers — please join us in sharing this important material with your colleagues and communities. 

Throughout the week we’ll be posting articles that feature a variety of perspectives on wildfire management. 

Western Canada SFI Implementation Committee (WCSIC)

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® is an independent, non-profit organisation with a mission to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration.  SFI is a sustainability leader through their work in standards, conservation, community, and education.  They collaborate with a diverse network to help address local and global sustainability challenges.

SFI Implementation Committees are the SFI Program’s strongest asset when it comes to community leadership.  This grassroots network works with local conservation groups, government agencies, forestry and professional associations, landowner groups and many others to conduct landowner outreach and community engagement.

SFI has 30+ SFI Implementation Committees representing close to 1,000 volunteers in 40+ states and provinces.  They are a critical part of the program promoting the SFI Standards, collaborating on the training of harvesting professionals and connecting people and communities to the forest.

The WCSIC is comprised of SFI Certified Organisations under two regional committees, British Columbia and the Prairies (Alberta and Saskatchewan.). The WCSIC function is to effectively facilitate or manage the programs and alliances which support the growth of sustainable forest management and responsible fiber sourcing through the SFI program.

Under the SFI Forest Management Standard, Objective 10: Fire Resilience and Awareness requires Certified Organizations to limit the susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire and to raise community awareness of wildfire benefits, risks, and minimization measures.

This FireSmart Campaign is intended to support the requirements to raise community awareness.