ForestLeadership is pleased to announce the final program of The Sustainability Challenge – its upcoming conference that will be held in Toronto on March 1-2, 2006.This year’s event is the seventh in a series of highly successful strategic conferences for industry leaders, policymakers and other decision makers. It is anticipated to be one of the year's most forward thinking and dynamic conferences for the North American forest sector.
The conference will combine keynote addresses, panel discussions, breakout sessions and workshops. Conference discussions will center on the following areas: sustainability challenges & opportunities in North America's forests; in the Boreal and in the marketplace; managing global certified supply chains; addressing climate change in forestry; seizing opportunities associated with bio-energy; reconciling forest & paper sustainability with financial performance; and implementing corporate social responsibility in forestry.
The Sustainability Challenge will feature a dynamic convergence of forestry professionals, academics, environmentalists and other stakeholders. A list of some 30 exceptional speakers underscores the breadth and range of topics to be discussed. Prominent speakers to address the event include: the Hon. David Ramsay, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources; Larry Selzer, President & CEO, The Conservation Fund; Frank Dottori, Founder and retired President and CEO, Tembec Inc.; Monte Hummel, President Emeritus, WWF-Canada; Roger Sedjo, Director, Resources for the Future; Tyler J. Elm, Senior Director, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.; Ben Packard, Director, Starbucks Coffee; David Refkin, Director, Sustainable Development, Time Inc.; Robert Prolman, Director, Weyerhaeuser Company; Don Roberts, Managing Director, CIBC World Markets; Mel Wilson, Associate Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers; and Cathy Wilkinson, Director, Canadian Boreal Initiative.
The key results of the landmark 2006 ForestLeadership Sustainability Survey will be presented on the occasion of the conference. The survey uncovers converging perspectives of forest and paper corporations and diverse stakeholders on the most strategically important sustainability challenges and opportunities as the sector moves forward within an ever evolving global context.
Conference delegates will have the option of attending pre- and post-conference workshops that focus on such key considerations as: sustainable forestry and certification challenges; biodiversity indicators; corporate social responsibility; corporate ethics and reputation management; as well as chain of custody certification programs.
On March 1st in the evening, three prestigious ForestLeadership Awards will be presented for the second time, recognizing exceptional leadership, communication and partnership towards sustainability.
Running parallel to the conference, an exhibit area will highlight the activities of various corporations, governmental agencies, certification programs, and conservation organizations working in the forest, paper and bio-energy sectors.
The following organizations are sponsoring the conference: Weyerhaeuser Company, the Forest Products Association of Canada and the Ontario Government
The 2006 ForestLeadership Conference will conveniently take place at the Wyndham Bristol Place Hotel, a four-diamond hotel located next to the international airport in Toronto.
ForestLeadership is a non-profit initiative focusing its activities on critical areas of leadership development, with the aim of improving sustainable forestry policies and practices.
To access the presentations, you need to require userid and password access, which is automated and takes only about a minute to complete and activate. It is also free. Just use the Login Form at the bottom of the left column of this page. You will then be able to access the presentations from the 2006 ForestLeadership Conference menu (top right of your screen). Note that this userid and password system is different from the one that is used for the CertificationWatch.org website.
Check also the many professional pictures of this outstanding event!
Rolling Stones Keyboardist Chuck Leavell has been chosen as the winner of the 2006 ForestLeadership Communication award. The Communication award is one of three awards – Communications, Leadership and Partnership awards - awarded annually to recognize exceptional contributions towards sustainable forestry.
The Communications award recognizes exceptional ability in communicating matters of sustainable forestry, and thereby improving understanding of key sustainability issues at the local, national or international level.
Chuck Leavell is the owner of a 2000 acre woodlot which he and his wife, Rose Lane have turned into a model tree farm. The Charlane Plantation is also a hunting preserve and conservation educational facility, providing public access to the site for learning about and observing sustainable forestry practices. A prominent musician and exceptional public speaker, Leavell recognizes the opportunity that his considerable public exposure gives him to teach and inspire other non-industrial forest landowners to use sustainable practices. He has assumed this communications role with great success.
Leavell is passionate about adapting forestry practices to be more sustainable. His own forest business is an example of his passionate commitment to 'smart-growth', pursuing economic growth and development while keeping sustainability concerns at the centre of business practice. Leavell gives frequent public talks about how his own land is managed, and reaching beyond personal example, he has written a book entitled "Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest" to communicate the importance of forests and sound forest management to the public on a national scale.
In a video message presented last night to delegates of the 2006 ForestLeadership Conference, Mr Leavell said: “I am afraid my touring schedule is keeping me from being with you in person but I want to send you this video message to say thank you, thank you, thank you for bestowing upon me this wonderful award, the communication award from ForestLeadership. I am very honored, grateful and flattered to receive it. Have a great conference. Have fun out there. Talk trees and continue to do the great work that you do. God bless.” He also added a humorous note: “I will leave you with this thought: “Just like the Rolling Stones, ForestLeadership rocks.”
His communication award was accepted on his behalf by Larry Wiseman, the president of the American Forest Foundation.
The Leadership award is meant to recognize superlative efforts and actions demonstrating leadership, innovation, and initiative that further sustainable forestry and cooperation between stakeholders. The 2006 winner, Larry Selzer, has demonstrated his commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development throughout his career.
Mr. Selzer joined The Conservation Fund in 1990 and has been President and CEO of the organization since 2001. As senior vice president of Sustainable Programs President of The Conservation Fund and then as CEO of that organization, he has been dedicated to involving key regional and local stakeholders in decisions that affect their lands, communities, or interests. Mr. Selzer's leadership in The Conservation Fund's numerous partnerships with major corporations, local and state departments and governments, and non-profit organizations has proven that forward-looking partnerships among committed stakeholders contribute positively to both economic returns and environmental sustainability. As Chair of the Sustainable Forestry Board he has also promoted the involvement of a wide variety of stakeholders in the process of revising the SFI standard.
"It is an honor and a privilege to receive ForestLeadership's 2006 Leadership Award," said Selzer. "From Maine to British Columbia, our forests are experiencing a sea of change. Only by focusing on collaboration, rather than confrontation, can we forge the partnerships that are critical if we are to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our forests."
Unlike the other two awards, which are presented to individuals, the Partnership award is presented to organizations. It recognizes commendable teamwork between different organizations to further sustainable forestry.
The winners of the 2006 Partnerhsip award are UPM, WWF and DNV for the Parallel Forest Certification Testing Initiative. This innovative project is designed to compare the relative merits of various forest certification schemes in Canada, Finland, and the UK. The aim of the project is to create an opportunity to improve different national certification standards and have them accepted by a broad base of stakeholders. The partners hope to promote the development of credible certification schemes, and thus promote the increased production and use of certified fibre worldwide.
Paul Orser, Director, UPM Forestry and Wood Sourcing made a joint acceptance speech. "The project was an interesting, challenging and positive process,” he declared. “UPM, WWF and DNV believe that the test results identify ways of driving forward the debate on certification. This 2006 Partnership Award by Forest Leadership is a great honour for us. It encourages us to continue this kind of multi-stakeholder cooperation and to consider approach even tougher themes together."
Tony Iacobelli, Director of Forests and Fresh Water, WWF-Canada, and Patrick Hardy, Manager, Climate Change Services, Eastern and Central Canada, represented respectively WWF-International and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) at the awards ceremony.
ForestLeadership is proud to have this opportunity to honour the hard work and dedication of some of the individuals and groups who promote sustainable forestry, and warmly congratulates the exceptional winners of the 2006 ForestLeadership awards.
ForestLeadership is a non-profit initiative focusing its activities on critical areas of leadership development, with the aim of improving sustainable forestry policies and practices.
The 2006 ForestLeadership Conference was a resounding success. Most of the PowerPoint presentations can already be found online. Additional material such as video clips will be added in the coming weeks.