The mission of the Yale Program on Forest Policy and Governance, a core program within the Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, is to research, teach, and conduct outreach to foster innovations on sustainable forestry management and policy. Originally the Yale Program on Forest Certification, the program has been renamed to better reflect its broad focus on all forms of state and non-state policy and governance, from domestic forest policy, to global inter-governmental negotiations, to market-based systems for promoting sustainable forest management. The Program maintains a strong focus on forest certification as one unique and potentially revolutionary policy approach that harnesses the power of the marketplace to encourage compliance with environmental and socially responsible standards.

Since its inception almost five years ago, our program has provided direction to Yale Faculty, students, and staff, as well as collaborators and researchers worldwide, in accomplishing its goals. Our program engages in several inter-related efforts to accomplish its mission. We focus primarily on research designed to understand the development of state and non-state forest policies and their impacts on sustainable forestry. Key publications that result from this research can be found on this website. Our program also conducts teaching and training on forest governance and policy, as well as concerted outreach activities to the broader forestry community. This website provides comprehensive information about forest certification to those conducting research in the topic or who are curious for additional information. Find out more about our program by visiting our personnel and events links, or contact us for more information.

NEW REPORTS
Assessing USGBC's Forest Policy Options

A Global Comparison of Forest Practice Policies Using Tasmania as a Constant Case

FSC in the Northern Appalachians

NEW BOOK!
Confronting Sustainability: Forest Certification in Developing and Transitioning Countries
released July 2006

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BOOK!
Governing through Markets: Forest Certification and the Emergence of Non-State Authority
released October 2004

INTERVIEW
with Faculty Director
Professor Ben Cashore on Forest Certification

PRESENTATION
"Making FSC work in the tropics," by Connie McDermott, delivered at the FSC General Assembly, December 2005