The West Virginia Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)—State Implementation Committee (SIC) has worked for the past six months to develop a Biodiversity document and procedure to help SFI members comply with SFI certification standards. The committee worked with both West Virginia University (WVU) and the WV Department of Natural Resources—Division of Wildlife (WVDNR) to identify critically impaired (G1) and impaired (G2) species and their associated habitat types. WVDNR put together a rather lengthy document that identifies the species, associated habitat types, and the conservation recommendations.
Dr. Ben Spong from WVU took the WVDNR information and developed a map of the state so that a user can pick a particular county and zoom in on a location to identify the various habitat types that are found in a desired area. Once the habitat is determined, the user can then review a list of species of concern that may exist in each area. All of this gives the user the ability to determine if they need additional professional help.
Anyone can use the new system by visiting the WVFA website at www.wvfa.org. Simply click on the SFI option to get to the SFI page; scroll to the bottom of the page; and select Biodiversity in West Virginia Fiber Sourcing. Then simply follow the instructions. From there you can also print/review a four-page document that explains the program, and you can print/review the entire WVDNR reference report.
For more information on SFI-SIC and the SFI Biodiversity Program, contact Rob Seiter, WV SIC Chair, at rob.sieter@scouting.org.
