North American Leaders in Sustainable Forestry and Procurement to Meet in Vancouver

Montreal, February 25, 2004 – The 2004 Certification Watch Conference, featuring the very latest cutting-edge information and influential discussion on forest certification and environmentally-responsible forest products purchasing in North America, takes place April 1-2 in Vancouver.

Building on the success of the March 2003 Certification Watch Conference, which attracted 370 delegates, the event is destined to become this year's most noteworthy and talked about sustainable forestry conference in North America . Special panels will address a range of pressing forest certification and procurement concerns: connecting State/Provincial policy with certification, certifying the boreal forests, certifying non-industrial forests; meeting the challenge of responsible forest products procurement; and reaping the economic, social and environmental benefits of certification.

Among the prominent speakers addressing the conference is Cassie Phillips, Vice-President, Sustainable Forestry, at Weyerhaeuser. "Over the years, the Certification Watch Conferences have become the premier location to keep abreast of developments in forest certification and responsible procurement and to hear the perspectives of many of those involved in these rapidly evolving and important matters," says Phillips. "This year's conference topics are again of the highest relevance for Weyerhaeuser and I look forward to participating in the conference."

One of the highlights of the conference will be an innovative strategic session between the leaders of the three most prominent forest certification programs in North America . Foregoing formal presentations, this special panel will instead feature a 90-minute interactive dialogue between SFI President William Banzhaf, CSA Forest Products Group Manager Peter Johnson and FSC Executive Director Heiko Liedeker.

"I've already attended two Certification Watch Conferences and was most impressed," says Heiko Liedeker. "I look forward to being in Vancouver on April 1-2 for the 5th Certification Watch Conference, which offers an exceptional opportunity to keep abreast of the latest North American developments in forest certification and responsible procurement."

An innovation for 2004 is a special training workshop, to be held just prior to the conference, where several of North America's most knowledgeable forest certification and supply chain auditors —including Guillaume Gignac (QMI), Robert Hrubes (SCS) and Bruce Eaket (PwC) — will share their expertise on topics such as public participation, high conservation value forests and responsible procurement.

The conference provides a terrific opportunity to meet and network with industry leaders and decision makers. The conference is presented in conjunction with the 17th PricewaterhouseCoopers Global Forest & Paper Industry Conference, held on March 31, also at the Vancouver Hyatt Regency.

Early-bird registration rates are available until March 5. Other discounts, including for multiple delegates from the same organization, are also available.

Details at www.CertificationWatchConference.org ; by emailing Kristy Westlake at kristy@sfcw.org or by calling (toll free) 877-273-5777 or 514-273-5777.

Media are welcome to attend the first plenary session and the gala evening, featuring the formal announcement of a ForestLeadership initiative, on April 1. Please contact Johan Hedlund at johan@sfcw.org or 514-2735777.