The Bureau of State Parks—and Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, Northampton County—in particular enjoyed the limelight May 7 when C. F. Martin & Co. Inc. hosted its fifth Bi-Annual Wood Summit at the company's headquarters in Nazareth.

Joining bureau and company officials at the celebrated guitar manufacturer’s gathering were representatives of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Forest Stewardship Council, World Resource Institute, Forest Legality Alliance and Environmental Investigation Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

(Photo: Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center Manager Rob Neitz displays a commemorative guitar presented to the center by the Nazareth-based C. F. Martin & Co. Inc.)

The full-day “summit” focused on Martin Guitar’s commitment to forest sustainability and environmental stewardship for over 20 years, marked by Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody certification. Worldwide, Martin supports responsible management of the world's forests. For details, visit here.

"Our established commitment to using sustainable wood products, along with innovative alternative materials, continues to be reflected in the quality and craftsmanship of every Martin Guitar we produce," said Chris Martin IV, CEO and chairman of Martin Guitar. "With the Summit, we are proud to bring together an esteemed group of industry leaders to openly discuss and highlight important issues within our industry that will ensure best practice policies and processes continue and expand to larger groups of instrument builders."

Locally, C.F. Martin & Co. continues to build its partnership with DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks and its Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center in a bid to educate visitors about sustainable practices for forest health.

Martin presented bureau staff with a one-of-a-kind Martin guitar and display case to be installed in the center.

The blond guitar is inlaid with images of aquatic insects, a salamander, and the DCNR logo. Last year, representatives of C.F. Martin & Co. collected sections from four different species of downed trees at Jacobsburg to create the guitar.

"The presentation of the guitar made of salvaged ‘story wood’" from the forests at the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is quite symbolic," said bureau Director David Kemmerer. "I am told by the Martin Guitar team that the guitar's resonance and tone will continue to improve over time and with increased use, as will the partnership with Martin Guitar and Pennsylvania State Parks."

Martin Guitar's partnership with the center reaches beyond the guitar. The company donated $25,000 in 2014 to support creation of a 15-acre area to showcase a forest in different stages of succession, with interpretive signage for visitors on sustainable management practices.

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(Reprinted from DCNR’s June 3 Resource newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)

6/8/2015