At Appalachian Sustainable Development and Sustainable Woods, we recognize that the strength of the local economy is closely linked to the long-term health and productivity of our forests. Rather than simply viewing this resource as a short-term commodity, we see our forests as long-term investments. Through proper stewardship, quality forest products can be periodically obtained while at the same time enhancing our natural environment, protecting air and water quality, conserving biodiversity and wildlife, and providing recreational opportunities.

Mission

Following are the goals of the Sustainable Woods program:

·         Improve the quality of forest practices on private lands and encourage local processing of forest resources in order to add value and create jobs

·         Provide outreach, education, and technical assistance for the conservation and sustainable use of private forest lands

·         Develop the capacity to locally process logs into kiln-dried lumber and other value-added forest products

·         Develop markets for sustainably-produced forest products

Standards of Sustainable Forest Management