[MPWG] We need people like this!

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

Dear All,

While the announcement below is not specific to medicinals, it demonstrates
the interdisciplinary approach essential to this conundrum of sustainable
use and conservation - a marketing specialist with a biology degree!

We need more of these people (as well as economists and people who love
statistics) to come forward so we can explore the many questions that arise
when discussing botanical raw materials production.  If any of you are out
there, I'd love to hear from you!

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 08/04/2004 01:55
PM -----
                                                                                                                                      
                      "Tensie Whelan"                                                                                                 
                      <twhelan at ra.org>         To:                                                                                    
                                               cc:      "Liza Murphy" <lmurphy at ra.org>                                                
                      08/04/2004 09:24         Subject: Announcing program to help certified paper and wood product producers         
                      AM                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                      




Dear friends and colleagues:


Rainforest Alliance is pleased to announce an initiative designed to assist
the certified producers of paper and building materials in developing
markets for their products.  As part of the growing demand for sustainable
business practices the initiative will identify likely markets and foster
relationships between the various producers certified by the Rainforest
Alliance's SmartWood program and New York City and Pennsylvania-based
construction projects and publishing firms.  Establishing market wide
relationships as well as links between local producers and projects will be
two primary focuses of the initiative.


Identification of business opportunities for the construction and paper
products produced by SmartWood certified operations is the logical next
step in a list of innovative efforts the Rainforest Alliance has developed.
Rainforest Alliance's mission is to protect ecosystems and the people and
wildlife that live within them by implementing better business practices
for biodiversity conservation and sustainability.  The sustainable forestry
certification program, SmartWood, was the first of its kind when started in
1989, since then it has become the worlds leading nonprofit Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certifier; approximately 40% of the worlds' FSC
certified forest management operations are certified by SmartWood.  With
over 1,000 clients in more than 50 countries the SmartWood program sets the
standard for credibility as a third party certifier for auditing
environmental and socially responsible forestry practices.  By now reaching
out to the industry consumers of these products Rainforest Alliance hopes
to help our certified producers to capitalize on the increasing demand for
environmentally sustainable products.


Liza Murphy has joined the Rainforest Alliance to develop the first phase
of this effort.  Ms Murphy will be expanding relationships with industry
groups and individual corporations in the New York area.  Understanding the
needs of industry and working to match them with the products developed by
our certification partners is a vital step in ensuring that our global
forest resources are managed in a way that will serve to preserve them
while generating economic opportunity for their owners and managers, Ms
Murphy commented.  Ms Murphy joins the Rainforest Alliance with over 20
years experience in the financial markets industry, most recently as a
partner at Lockwood Financial Services (now a subsidiary of Bank of New
York).  Her work has focused on Business Development, Product Design &
Development and Operations & Administration.  She has a degree in
Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a certificate in
Conservation Biology from Columbia University's Center for Environmental
Research and Conservation.



For further information please contact Liza Murphy at 646-452-1974 or
lmurphy at ra.org.