Cornell University Press
First Book Publisher in the World
to Use FSC-Certified Paper in the Publication of Its Books

March 1999. Thanks to the efforts of Lyons Falls Pulp and Paper, the National Wildlife Federation's regional SmartWood certification initiative, and the Maple-Vail Book Manufacturing Group, Cornell University Press was the first book publisher in the world to produce a book on paper certified to have come from a well-managed forest.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, which appears on the copyright page of A LIVING WAGE by Lawrence Glickman, recognizes that the forests providing the trees for the paper have been independently inspected and certified as meeting the highest standards for environmental and social responsibility. The Forest Stewardship Council is the not-for-profit organization that is working to improve forest management practices worldwide through certification of forest products.

Certified solid wood products, from flooring and furniture to birdhouses and guitars, have been available for several years, and some tissue and wall-covering paper has recently become available in Europe. Lyons Falls Pulp and Paper was the first mill in North America to be awarded a certificate, and until its closure early in 2001, it was the only mill in the world producing certified printing and writing paper. (Cornell University Press is currently reviewing other sources for FSC-certified paper.)

A longtime proponent of recycled and totally chlorine-free (TCF) book publishing papers, Cornell University Press stresses certification's importance in the context of other efforts to better connect paper production and consumption to environmental quality. FSC-certified paper does not substitute for paper made with recycled content; rather, papers need to incorporate both. Since many papers require the strength of some virgin fiber, certification ensures that the virgin content comes from well-managed forests. FSC Turin, the Lyons Falls sheet used by Cornell University Press, contained 20 percent recycled fiber in addition to its certified virgin material.

Certification involves inspection and auditing of the land from which the timber and pulpwood originate to ensure that it is managed according to FSC's internationally recognized standards. Putting the FSC label on finished products also requires an audit of the so-called "chain-of-custody" so that one can know that the finished product actually contains the fiber from the well-managed forest at the beginning of the chain. Lyons Falls, Cornell University Press, and Maple-Vail were all covered under the SmartWood chain-of-custody audit process.

Cornell University Press is pleased to be a role model in the book publishing industry. "Buying environmentally friendly book publishing materials isn't always easy, but it's worth the challenge" acknowledges Bruner. "To accomplish one's goals for setting a standard, one must partner with suppliers and arrive at solutions that work for all parties involved." Cornell University Press used the FSC Turin manufactured by Lyons Falls as a "house sheet" up until the mill’s closure in 2001. Stay tuned for future developments!