We are proud of our sustainability story, but we can’t do it alone. Domtar has numerous sustainability partners with whom we share priorities and resources.
These partnerships enrich our sustainability journey through the sharing of resources, ideas and expertise as we work toward similar goals. We are pleased to support responsible stewardship of natural resources in a variety of ways.
These are reflected in our six priority areas for our sustainability goals through 2030 and beyond.
“Our sustainability partnerships make possible much more than we could do on our own,” says Paige Goff, Domtar’s vice president of sustainability. “By combining efforts with these outstanding organizations, we are able to increase the impact of our efforts and of theirs. We are honored to be part of each of these initiatives that promote responsible forestry, support wildlife habitats and fund related research.”
In our pursuit of our sustainability agenda, we work with sustainability partners across North America, including, but not limited to, the following:
American Forest Foundation
The American Forest Foundation has been one of our sustainability partners for more than 20 years. Most recently, we support the Habitat Improvement Initiative between the American Forest Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (PFW), a collaborative conservation effort to improve the habitat for federally designated at-risk and listed species on private lands in the southeastern United States.
The program, which started in 2017, secures 10-year agreements with private landowners to undertake forest management practices that will improve the habitat of particular species, including the gopher tortoise, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, red cockaded woodpecker and Venus flytrap. Landowners receive technical guidance and financial assistance to implement habitat improvement plans that align with goals for wildlife habitat and improve the overall health of their forest. Over the 10-year agreement, PFW biologists work with the landowners to collect species data and monitor the success of the habitat improvements.
As of December 2021, 41 landowners have put more than 7,800 acres into landowner agreements. Nearly 3,300 acres of longleaf pine have been established for habitat improvement and monitoring for federally listed and at-risk species.
“Landowners play a critical role in improving and creating habitat so that at-risk species can thrive,” says Rita Hite, president and CEO of American Forest Foundation. “Domtar’s investment in the Habitat Improvement Initiative helps ensure the landowners have the technical and financial support to be good stewards of their land.”
The Nature Conservancy
Another of our sustainability partners is The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This partnership began earlier in 2022, and Domtar’s donations will help support forest restoration across the Appalachians on both public and private lands, with an emphasis on the Pennsylvania Wilds landscape around our Johnsonburg Mill.
Actively managing the forests to restore habitat diversity increases the capacity of the habitats to support multiple species. When forest restoration activities occur on private land, landowners will be linked with the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP). The partnership between TNC and American Forest Foundation enables family forest owners to access carbon markets, empowering them to help address climate change while earning income from their land.
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Domtar and The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) became long-term sustainability partners with the execution of the largest private land conservation agreement in Canadian history.
A large private forest tract in Ontario previously owned by Domtar will be managed for research and conservation by NCC. The 1,450 square kilometers of boreal forest is recognized for its ecosystem and abundant wildlife. Domtar has agreed to transfer ownership of the land to NCC for $7 million below its appraised value as a part of this partnership.
Domtar chose to partner with NCC on this project because of the organization’s commitment to continued science-based management of this forestland. NCC shares the findings of research conducted on its conservation lands with the public.
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
Domtar has entered a long-term partnership with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (The Endowment) to advance the systemic, transformative and sustainable health of working forests and forest-reliant communities.
The Endowment has worked with Domtar, IBM and other key stakeholders to develop the ForesTrust blockchain network. ForesTrust provides cost-effective blockchain technology that can accurately track wood and wood fiber, from the forest floor to the consumer’s doorstep.
The United States Forest Service (USFS) has offered federal funding this year to build out the ForesTrust platform to support small forest landowners and the growth and protections of US forestlands and its biodiversity.
Other federal organizations, including the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Wood Identification and Screening Center, may evaluate ForestTrust’s blockchain technology as a tool to support the USDA’s tracking mission.
The network also is engaging with academics, including professors at the University of Michigan, to analyze the tracking of carbon storage in wood products and other forest industry research.
Learn more about these and other Domtar sustainability partners:
- American Forest Foundation, Domtar Partner in Biodiversity Conservation
- Domtar Supports Change to FSC Forest Conversion Policies
- Verified Fiber Sourcing: A Key Part of Our Long-Term Sustainability Agenda
- Domtar Partners to Improve Habitats for Ruffed Grouse
- Domtar Partners With Nature Conservancy of Canada to Establish Largest Private Land Conservation Agreement in Canadian History
