Increasingly, the quality and the quantity of many of the world's forests are being diminished. Now, more than ever, there is a pressing need to protect forests from over-cutting and mismanagement in order to conserve them for the future.

Certification involves an independent evaluation of a landowner's forestry practices according to strict environmental and socio-economic standards. Forest operations that are awarded certification may label their product as originating from a well-managed source

For a tree to become a finished wood product, it must pass through a number of steps including harvest, primary and secondary processing (e.g., milling), manufacturing, distribution and sale. This process is known as chain-of-custody. By auditing each step in the process, chain-of-custody certification assures consumers that the certified products they buy were indeed produced from a certified forest.

The two leading certifying organizations in the United States are Scientific Certification Systems of Oakland, California and Smartwood. Both of these groups perform field audits and authentications commensurate with the principles and criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council. These groups verify that forest management is accomplished according to the FSC program and they verify that product integrity is maintained in the "Chain-of-Custody" from producer to user. All FSC endorsed certifiers must meet strict standards that protect forest ecosystems, water quality and wildlife habitats as well as strengthen local economies.

When consumers see an FSC logo on a forest product, they can be sure that their purchase supports forestry that meets the highest standards for environmentally and socially responsible forestry.