Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard

Urban and community forests are currently being prioritized through investment in government initiatives, including the Inflation Reduction Act in the US and the Natural Infrastructure Fund in Canada.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard is a world first and provides third-party validation to the important sustainability efforts of organizations that own, manage, or are responsible for urban or community forests.

It is relevant for government organizations (e.g. municipalities, counties, states, provinces), non-governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples, community groups, healthcare organizations, educational organizations, and corporate organizations.

Based on five guiding principles and 16 objectives, the standard addresses the environmental, social, and governance issues that help to ensure the sustainability of urban forests. These include human health and well-being, protection and conservation of biodiversity, stewardship of natural resources, climate-smart management, and disaster readiness.

Certification to The SFI Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard can help organizations:

• demonstrate they are managing their forests in line with industry-approved environmental, social, and governance criteria
• take a leadership position in forest management
• show a commitment to innovation

With over 17 years’ experience auditing organizations to forest management standards, and as the only certification body with an ISA certified arborist on its auditing team, NSF is ideally placed to support you on your journey to certification.