Maine's Verification Oversight Panel
In early 1999, with the support of the 119th Maine Legislature, the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, and the Maine State Implementation Committee created the Verification Oversight Panel (VOP) to assist in the program of reviewing voluntary third-party audits for SFI compliance. At present, this is the only such panel functioning within the national program. The VOP is a credible panel of respected Maine professionals with expertise and interest in the forest. These professionals serve on the Oversight Panel for all the SFI Verifications in Maine. They issue public reports on the strength, thoroughness and veracity of each SFI verification.
The Verification Oversight Panel's Mission:
To Examine and report on the strength and thoroughness of verifications done under SFI. Topics for particular attention are to include the objectivity and independence of the verification team members; suitability of the indicators used; and the thoroughness of the verification.
The VOP operates under protocols developed to provide consistency of approach and to aid the verifiers and landowners understanding of how the VOP functions.
Maine's SFI Oversight Panel Members:
- Dr. Lloyd Irland, Forestry Consultant and FSC certifier
- Dr. David Field, University of Maine, Chair of Forest Management Department
- Dr. Steve Katona, President, College of the Atlantic
- Dr. Bruce Wiersma, University of Maine, Dean of the College of the Natural Sciences, Forestry & Agriculture
- Dr. Ray (Bucky) Owen, Former IF& W Commissioner
- Dr. John Hagan, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
- Elizabeth Swain, Barton & Gingold
- Brad Wyman, Registered Professional Forester
- Rene Noel, Southern Maine Forestry Services
- Everett Towle, President Small Woodland Owners Association
The actual review is conducted by subgroups of the panel. This allows for the group to handle more than one verification at a time and to adapt to conflicts of interest between companies and panel members.