One of the biggest challenges in supporting an emerging market like FSC is navigating new business channels to find the products you need. You need quality information and you need it quickly.

To help you along, we've profiled our four favorite websites for finding FSC certified companies and products, with candid reviews on their respective pluses and minuses. The first two are regional in scope, the latter two national and/or international.

Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities Partnership,  www.hfhcp.org - This fabulous program from Sustainable Northwest helps smaller manufacturers and distributors throughout the West connect with green markets. The site includes products from sustainable sources other than FSC, such as reclaimed wood and Forest Service restoration projects.  If you are a manufacturer or distributor with fewer than 15 employees, this is by far the best way to get certified for FSC chain of custody.

Pluses: Most listings have narrative profiles that can help you screen quickly. The flooring section is huge.

Minuses: The navigation isn't always intuitive and the product categories are too general. 

Forest Friendly Lumber, www.forestfriendlylumber.com - This site was designed by Seattle Audubon to highlight FSC wholesalers and retailers that serve western Washington. Only the companies that have responded to information requests are listed, which does weed out less-than-responsive companies, but also gives a limited picture of what might be available.

Pluses: This site is very easy to navigate based on user type or general product type.  It also has good information on the connection between FSC forest management and wildlife impacts.

Minuses: The commercial project section is still under development. Also, company listings don't give you specific contacts for FSC sales people.

The Forest Certification Resource Center, www.certifiedwoodsearch.org - The Portland based non-profit Metafore has been cultivating and refining this database for several years, using primary data from certifiers around the world. It is easily the most comprehensive database of it's kind in the U.S. and has enormous search capacity, including a highly specific product search. Note that FSC is just one certification system within this database, so be sure to choose it specifically when searching.

Pluses: The product category hierarchy goes to an incredible level of detail on this comprehensive site. After a search query, make sure to click on the links to individual company listings, which include comprehensive contact, product, and certification data.

Minuses: Because the site has so many search options that it takes a while to learn the tricks that make for efficient use. It really needs a tutorial to help out neophytes, but even learning by trial and error is worth the investment.

The FSC U.S. Initiative, www.fscus.org - The best part about this site isn't the certified company database, but the product inquiry form -  www.fscus.org/faqs/fsc_product_inquiry.php. Users can enter their needs into this page and it goes to a large national list serve of FSC suppliers. Depending on what you're looking for, you may get more replies than you really want (it can be like drinking from a fire hose). If you're a design and construction professional, also make sure to check out the resources on their Green Building page.

Pluses: If the product you're looking for is available, the inquiry form will almost certainly help you make the connections you need. The Designing & Building with FSC Guide on the Green Building page also includes strategies for making sure you are in control of the sourcing process.

Minuses: Since they receive primary data from certifiers directly, you'd think the FSC International Center would provide the National Initiatives with a rich database and product hierarchy to draw from, but that just hasn't happened yet. Supposedly it's in the works, but we're not holding our breath.

Also keep in mind that several Northwest Certified Forestry members sell FSC products directly and that NNRG provides sourcing assistance to project teams on a fee for service basis. Please see the Buying Wood Products and Consulting Services sections of our website, or call 360-379-9421 ext 2 for more information.