Domtar engages in a wide variety of initiatives to ensure that we leave the forests that we depend on and the communities we are a part of better off for the long term. That’s why we apply our Sustainable Forestry Principles across the ecosystems and communities that surround our pulp and paper mills. These forestry principles govern our fiber procurement by requiring transparency, collaboration and accountability in all of our transactions.
Our sustainable forestry principles guide our efforts to:
Empower Landowners to Keep Forests as Forests
Our demand for reliable, economical and marketable sources of fiber creates an incentive for landowners to keep forests as forests, rather than converting land to other uses. That, in turn, creates many other environmental and social benefits, including the protection of water supplies, the promotion of biodiversity and the preservation of hunting, fishing and camping grounds.
One way Domtar demonstrates this is through our work with the Appalachian Woodlands Alliance, which provides sustainable forest management tools and expertise to small, private landowners to increase the amount of sustainably managed forests around our Kingsport Mill in Tennessee.
Conserve Natural Forests and Biodiversity
We want to conserve the biodiversity of our forests by maintaining genetic species and ecosystem diversity for a healthy forest environment. For example, our Marlboro Mill in Bennettsville, South Carolina, developed a wildlife management plan to increase the diversity of plant species and improve the habitat quality for wild turkeys, whitetail deer and wood ducks on the site’s 1,800-acres. The plan has produced significant results; for example, improved habitat quality and biodiversity have led to an uptick in the wild turkey and deer populations.
Safeguard Endangered Forests and Wildlife
Similarly, we want to safeguard at-risk plant and wildlife species. At the Johnsonburg Mill in Pennsylvania, we encourage enrollment in The Nature Conservancy’s Working Woodlands Program, which helps local landowners protect and manage their forested lands to benefit people and nature. Additionally, the mill committed $10,000 to help the Bald Eagle Area School District in Wingate, Pennsylvania, develop a custom forest-management plan that will ensure that the district’s forest resources are protected and used appropriately.
Respect the Culture of Indigenous Peoples
Domtar also works to maintain respectful and collaborative relationships with aboriginal communities in areas where we share common public lands. For example, the Rothschild Mill in Wisconsin works closely with the Menominee Indian Tribe to promote the sustainable management of the region’s forests and ensure mutually beneficial operations in the shared landscape.
Continue Our Commitment to Local Communities
Finally, our Sustainable Forestry Principles go far beyond the woods. Domtar is strongly committed to the local communities in which we operate.
Since 2012, we have donated more than $6 million to various philanthropic organizations, focusing primarily on literacy, health and wellness, and sustainability. In fact, in 2016, Domtar colleagues contributed more than 4,000 hours to events in local communities.
To learn more about how Domtar is bringing its Sustainable Forestry Principles to life, please read our 2017 Sustainability Report.
