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Oct. 14, 2010
Gov. Martin O’Malley announced on Monday that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking dual certification for all three western Maryland state forests. According to the governor’s office, this move will protect forest industry jobs and garner national recognition of the state’s commitment to sustainable forestry management.
O’Malley made the announcement at Potomac-Garrett State Forest, on the donated tract of land upon which Maryland’s extensive public lands system was founded.
“Dual certification of these forests will protect important jobs in western Maryland by providing certified ‘green’ products to businesses like NewPage that will allow them to meet increasing customer demand,” said O’Malley. “It will also publicly validate the great work our state foresters are doing in managing our working lands for sustainability. Once again, by relying on sound science, Maryland is proving we can protect our environment and our economy to the benefit of our citizens and our planet.”
According to the governor’s office, the western Maryland forest products industry has a $950 million total economic impact in the region, contributes $35 million in state and local tax revenues, and employs 9,200 people. Dual certification will directly benefit these employees, including nearly 1,000 Marylanders who work at NewPage, by providing the forestry industry the tools it needs to compete in the global market and meet the demand for certified wood.
