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As debate continues over proposed changes to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, forest certification is emerging as a heated issue.

Under the 2009 system, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was the only system eligible for LEED forest certification credits, which sparked a backlash from other certification groups, particularly the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

A pilot credit announced last week moves away from the FSC-only policy, although the U.S. Green Building Council has not made final decisions about how to deal with the complex issues surrounding wood certification.

Pilot credits are intended to spark conversation among interested parties about how to deal with complex issues facing LEED. For a pilot credit to be adopted as a regular credit in LEED, it must go before a vote by members.

The new Pilot Credit 43 deals with the use of certified products, including wood. The policy, now available for use, establishes two pathways to earn the certified products credit. By following the “certification pathway,” products can be certified by third parties that meet approved standards; or, by following the “EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) pathway,” manufacturers can offer product data in pre-approved formats.

The certification pathway will depend on the forthcoming 鈥淟EED standard for standards鈥� document, which will lay out criteria that certification programs must meet in order to be approved.

The USGBC published a preliminary list of pre-approved product standards and programs that can be used to claim Pilot Credit 43. The list includes SFI among forest certification programs.

FSC proponents and environmental organizations, however, argue that other standards, including SFI and the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), are not as rigorous. Ultimately, they are concerned that the policy change will weaken forest industry practice standards and perhaps LEED itself.

鈥淥ur concern is that if LEED gives equal recognition (to SFI and ATFS), that could really do a disservice to the high green standard LEED has been trying to set for green building,鈥� said Kirk Hanson, director of Northwest Certified Forestry, a Northwest Natural Resource Group program that provides small woodland owners with forest management and聽 marketing assistance. 鈥淭hose two programs will certify status quo forest management. FSC is nationally and internationally recognized as the highest standard for forest management; equal recognition would result in the dilution of the high quality standards that LEED has been trying to pioneer.鈥�

Other stakeholders also are concerned about what could happen to LEED.

鈥淚 think the forest issue is a litmus test for (LEED) and what it’s going to be in the future,鈥� said Jason Grant, a consultant in the sustainable forest products industry and a member of the Sierra Club Forest Certification Team. 鈥�(USGBC officials) seem to be caving on the stuff that is most controversial and where they come under the most pressure.鈥�

For representatives of SFI, opening the LEED door to other certification systems is overdue.

鈥淪FI has proactive requirements that are making a major difference in how forestland is being managed in the U.S. and Canada,鈥� said Jason Metnick, the group’s senior director of market access and label use.

Some supporters of SFI say that similarities among the major forest certification systems made the FSC-only policy unfair.

鈥淭o have the LEED standard out there exclusively giving credit to FSC when we value both (SFI and FSC) seemed to promote a lack of parity,鈥� said Brian Kernohan, director of policy at Forest Capital Partners, which owns nearly 2 million acres of forestland across the U.S., all SFI certified.

One of the most common criticisms of SFI is that it certifies 鈥渟tatus quo鈥� forestry practices, but owners of SFI-certified land reject this claim.

鈥淥regon and Washington have some of the strictest forest practice rules in North America,鈥� said Chris Lipton, general manager and chief forester of Longview Timber, which owns and manages 650,000 acres of forest in Oregon and Washington, all SFI certified. 鈥淪FI does a good job recognizing those rules and then going above and beyond forest practice rules in both states.鈥�

The inclusion of other certification standards under Pilot Policy 43 has eliminated the cornered market that FSC enjoyed under LEED’s previous FSC-only policy. Supporters of SFI believe this sends the right signal to the marketplace, while FSC proponents believe they rightly deserved the niche. Those who test the pilot credit may ultimately determine its fate.

鈥淢y primary concern is that architects and builders and the general public are still not that familiar with the various certification programs for forest management,鈥� Hanson said. 鈥淲hen people see a label identifying wood as harvested from a 鈥榳ell managed forest,’ they may not understand the differences between certification programs.鈥�

Some in the building industry are more concerned with different certification schemes than others.

“It was part of the LEED credit, which is why we went after FSC wood,” said Mike Gorman, a senior associate at BLRB/GGL Architects. 鈥淲e go through the LEED process, but that’s about as far as we take it.鈥�

Other architects, however, have been following the certification debate closely.

鈥淪FI is an engineered distraction trying to water down the notion of forest certification,鈥� said Craig Briscoe, associate partner at ZGF. Briscoe said he has made a personal effort to meet FSC foresters and explore their land.

Some supporters of the pilot credit contend that builders will benefit from the wider eligibility of LEED-approved, certified wood.

鈥淭he ability for specifiers and builders to use and get credit for certified wood across North America makes their job easier,鈥� said Kathy Abusow, president and CEO of SFI.