“Think globally, act locally” and “charity begins at home” are two phrases that come to mind when reading this recent New York Times article about replacing the planks in the Brooklyn Bridge boardwalk with tropical hardwoods.

Managing tropical forests sustainably and conserving those forests are admirable goals and should certainly be pursued. However, the wood planks in this New York landmark should come from New York’s own FSC- or SFI-certified and sustainably managed forests.

Using responsibly harvested local wood reduces the carbon footprint associated with transporting tropical hardwoods halfway across the globe. Using local wood from New York’s certified forests sends a positive and rewarding message to landowners who have invested their time and money into managing local forests according to the best science available. Using locally milled wood keeps our small manufacturing businesses operating. Best of all, using locally grown and milled wood keeps New Yorkers employed in good paying jobs in rural areas — areas that have been hard hit by the recession.

Let’s think globally and act locally. Collect donations to help manage tropical forests sustainably by selling the Brooklyn Bridge boardwalk planks as a fundraiser; and act locally by using new planks grown in sustainably managed New York forests and manufactured by New Yorkers at locally owned mills.

Finch foresters’ goal is to keep forests naturally regenerating forever. Our sustainable forestry plans call for the removal of the poorest quality trees in stages over a 70-150-year period. This gives the better quality trees more room to grow and drop seeds for the next generation of forest. We remove trees at less than the annual growth rate — which is less than 4 percent. This keeps the forest healthy and productive for the long term.

Wherever there is a hawk’s nest, or a salamander slough, our foresters keep watch and work with loggers to protect the area. They are looking for habitat value in every tract and every tree — including standing dead trees, which offer some of the best shelter in the forest. A study by wildlife biologists at the State University of New York found that black bears spend more time in our managed forests in the warm seasons, largely because of food sources, and move into the State Forest Preserve in the colder seasons. The combination of working forests and forever-wild forests provides a diversity of food, nesting habitat and shelter.