Forest through the trees. (Letters From Our Readers).

Your January/February 2003 article, "Behind the Label: How Well is the Forest Stewardship Council Protecting Trees?" (Currents), mentioned two certifications that have become controversial, but didn't stress enough the myriad successes that FSC has achieved.

For instance, in Vermont, a group of landowners led by Vermont Family Forests is providing FSC-certified wood to projects around the state, including construction at Middlebury College. In Davenport, California, the 6,800-acre Big Creek Lumber Company forest provides habitat for the endangered marbled murrelet. In Hoopa, California, the 86,000-acre Hoopa Forest is harvested under FSC principles to provide income for the Hoopa Valley Tribe.

All FSC-certified forests are required to comply with local, state and federal environmental laws and to protect areas of high conservation value. FSC has certified 13 million acres in North America and 85 million globally, and is the most stringent of all the certification systems. FSC is strongly supported by World Wildlife Fund, the National Wildlife Federation and The Nature Conservancy, as well as by timber and social interests. In less than a decade the FSC has become the focal point for responsible forestry. It's an enviable record and it's only the beginning.

Roger C. Dower, President, Forest Stewardship Council, via e-mail

Editor's Note: The original article did cover many of the FSC's unquestionable benefits as outlined by Dower, including several of his specific examples.