National Forest Products Week highlights power of consumers to support healthy forests : Oct 20, 2025 | News release – Minnesota DNR

Report on Minnesota’s Forest Products Industry and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: National Forest Products Week and Sustainable Development

In observance of National Forest Products Week (Oct. 19-25), this report analyzes the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) framework for sustainable forestry, emphasizing its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus is on the critical link between consumer behavior, the local forest products industry, and the achievement of sustainable environmental and economic outcomes.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The management of Minnesota’s forests is intrinsically linked to SDG 12, which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns. Consumer choices are identified as a primary driver for a sustainable circular economy within the state.

• Consumer-Driven Markets: The demand for locally sourced, renewable wood products provides the economic incentive for sustainable forest management practices.
• Sustainable Production: The DNR, through its dual certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), ensures that forest management adheres to third-party standards that balance ecological, economic, and social factors.
• Informed Choices: By choosing certified wood products, consumers directly participate in a sustainable production cycle, ensuring that materials for items like furniture, paper, and fuel are sourced responsibly.

SDG 15: Life on Land

The health and resilience of Minnesota’s terrestrial ecosystems are central to SDG 15. The state’s strategy for managing its forests demonstrates a proactive approach to protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of these ecosystems.

Case Study: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Mitigation

Minnesota’s response to the threat posed by the invasive emerald ash borer to its estimated 1 billion ash trees serves as a key example of market-based conservation aligned with SDG 15 targets.

1. Threat to Biodiversity: The EAB infestation poses a significant risk to forest health and biodiversity, potentially leading to widespread loss of ash-dominated forests.
2. Market-Based Intervention: Increasing consumer demand for ash wood products creates a market for the commercial harvest of vulnerable trees.
3. Sustainable Forest Management: This commercial harvest is conducted under planned, sustainable guidelines, providing an economic tool to manage the EAB threat.
4. Ecosystem Restoration and Resilience: The removal of at-risk ash allows for strategic reforestation with a greater diversity of tree species, making the future forest more resilient to pests and diseases, thereby protecting life on land.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The forest products industry is a vital component of Minnesota’s economy, contributing to SDG 8 by promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth. By supporting this industry through responsible consumption, citizens contribute to:

• Local Economies: Strengthening the market for local wood products supports jobs and economic activity within Minnesota’s communities.
• Sustainable Industry: Consumer demand for certified products ensures that economic growth does not come at the expense of environmental health, fostering a sustainable industrial model.
• Resource for Action: The DNR provides a public database and map of Minnesota mills to facilitate consumer purchasing from local producers, directly linking consumption choices to local economic support.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on Minnesota’s National Forest Products Week addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on the intersection of environmental health, economic activity, and consumer behavior. The primary SDGs connected to the issues are:

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The core message of the article is about encouraging consumers to make “thoughtful choices” and purchase “sustainably produced, locally sourced forest products.” This directly aligns with the goal of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article extensively discusses the importance of “healthy, resilient forests,” sustainable forest management, addressing threats from invasive species like the emerald ash borer, and encouraging biodiversity through reforestation. These themes are central to protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The text highlights that the “forest products industry is not only an important element of Minnesota’s economy” but also that consumer choices help in “sustaining both the economy and the environment.” This connects the sustainable use of natural resources to economic stability and growth.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The article promotes this by advocating for the use of wood from sustainably managed forests, which is described as a “renewable” resource. The entire premise of using commercial timber harvest as a tool for forest health is linked to this target.
   • Target 12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature. The article is an example of this, as the DNR is celebrating National Forest Products Week to “recognize the essential connections between consumers, the forest products industry, and healthy, resilient forests” and to highlight the role of consumers in making “thoughtful choices.”

2. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. The article directly supports this by explaining how “commercial timber harvest can be an economical way to meet forest management goals” and how consumer demand for local wood products helps “manage forests sustainably.”
   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The article discusses how managing the ash tree population, threatened by an invasive species, and promoting “reforestation with a greater diversity of tree species” helps make forests more resilient and encourages biodiversity.
   • Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species. The article specifically names the “emerald ash borer, an invasive insect killing ash trees across the state,” as a major threat and proposes using the market for ash products as a tool to manage its impact.

3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors. The article supports this by framing the local forest products industry as an “important element of Minnesota’s economy” that is sustained by consumer choices, linking economic activity directly to the sustainable management of natural resources.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions and implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 15.2 (Progress towards sustainable forest management): The article explicitly mentions third-party certification systems. It states, “consumers can look for third-party certified products, such as those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.” It further notes that “The DNR’s forest management is dual-certified by FSC and SFI.” The area of forest under these independent certification schemes is a direct and measurable indicator of progress in sustainable forest management.
• Indicator for Target 12.2 and 12.8 (Sustainable consumption and awareness): The article implies that consumer demand for certified and local wood products is a key metric. An increase in the “demand for such products” (specifically ash) is presented as a positive outcome. Therefore, the market share of locally sourced and certified wood products, as well as consumer awareness surveys about the benefits of purchasing these products, could serve as indicators.
• Indicator for Target 15.5 and 15.8 (Biodiversity and invasive species management): The article suggests that progress can be measured by the success of reforestation efforts. It aims to allow for “reforestation with a greater diversity of tree species” in areas currently dominated by ash. An implied indicator would be the percentage of forest area affected by emerald ash borer that has been successfully reforested with a mix of native, non-vulnerable tree species.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dnr.state.mn.us