Members of the U.S. Green Building Council are getting ready to adopt new standards for what’s considered “sustainable wood.” In the past, most Oregon timber products haven’t qualified.

Peter Hayes is the owner of Hyla Woods. He also sits on the Oregon Board of Forestry. Hayes owns about 800 acres in the coast range. His carefully managed forests  have been certified “sustainable” by the Forest Stewardship Council. 

Hayes says the certification has helped his business in the down economy.

Peter Hayes: “For us one of the key factors is it’s the one certification system that gives you the significant benefit of both market access and premiums.”

The Stewardship Council requires foresters to limit tree harvests and keep soil in good condition.

Relatively few companies in Oregon have received sustainable certification.

Many of Oregon’s large timber groups are pushing a different green certification system. It’s awarded by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, or SFI.

Marvin Brown is the Oregon State Forester. He also chairs the SFI Board.

Marvin Brown: “Both standards are going to do a very good job of making sure that forest practices protect water quality and soil productivity.”

Not so, says Peter Hayes, who’s forest is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. He says the SFI standard requires growers to do little more than what is already required by state law.

Peter Hayes: “if all we do is manage to the minimum of the law the forest land in Oregon will be degraded. And we think that’s a bad idea."

Last week, 79 members of Congress signed a letter supporting the Sustainable Forestry Initiative — including  Oregon’s Greg Walden, Kurt Schrader and David Wu.

They want the U.S. Green Building Council to start accepting wood that’s been certified by the SFI.

That would allow lumber with the SFI label to earn sustainability points for LEED certified buildings.

The Council is expected to decide on new standards this fall.