Expanding Our Efforts Through Collaboration
For generations, International Paper, with its expert foresters and wildlife biologists, has led the forest products industry in promoting the planting and responsible harvesting of trees, in monitoring forest productivity and in conserving and protecting forest biodiversity. Our commitment to responsible forestry is complemented by ongoing collaborations with academic institutions, research and trade organizations and non-profit organizations. Through these relationships, International Paper is sustaining and building upon a proud heritage of land management and stewardship.
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International Paper Continues Commitment to Conservation
In March 2013, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and International Paper established the Forestland Stewards Initiative, a pioneering partnership to conserve and restore southern forestlands representing some of America’s most iconic landscapes, critical habitats for endangered wildlife and economic opportunities. The initiative also highlights the critical role working forests play – especially for the United States, where 68 percent of all forests are working forests – by helping landowners improve working-forest management. The initiative supports conservation projects in three regions: the Piney Woods on the Louisiana-Texas border; the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia; and the low country forests of North Carolina and South Carolina.
Seven grants were awarded in 2013, with a $750,000 investment from International Paper leveraging more than $3.8 million in additional funds and in-kind support from NFWF and project partners. These projects will restore over 4,000 acres of longleaf and shortleaf pine forest, enhance over 43,000 acres of forest habitat through prescribed fire and other management practices, provide educational outreach and technical support to over 300 private landowners and benefit wildlife species of conservation need that rely upon these forest habitats.
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Global Forestry Collaboration Platforms
International Paper’s ongoing involvement promotes innovation and encourages continuous improvement of our worldwide responsible forest management efforts. Our global and country specific collaborations include:
Global
- World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): Forests Solutions Group
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)
Country-Specific
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) (U.S.)
- China Green Foundation (China)
- Conservation International (U.S.)
- Dogwood Alliance (U.S.)
- Institute for Forest Biotechnology (IFB) (U.S.)
- Institute for Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (India)
- National Council for Air & Stream Improvement (NCASI) (U.S.)
- The National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) (U.S.)
- National Park Foundation (U.S.)
- Two Sides U.S. — Commercial Membership (U.S.)
- The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (U.S.)
- North Carolina State University (NCSU) (U.S.)
- Forest Research Institute (Poland)
- St. Petersburg State Forestry University (Russia)
- U.S. State Forestry Associations (U.S.)
- SweTree Technologies (Sweden)
- University of Minnesota (U.S.)
- Von Thuringen Institute (Germany)
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Restoring and Protecting Natural Habitats
International Paper owns and manages nearly 253,000 acres of Brazilian forestland, 75 percent of which is composed of eucalyptus plantations. One-quarter of this area is designated for nature conservation and has been converted to, or retained in, native vegetation.
Forest management in Brazil is certified to a range of standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, Cerflor (PEFC), and FSC®. Ongoing research and development collaborations with a range of universities and scientific institutions allow us to continuously improve forest productivity and ecological conservation on our plantations. Our conservation efforts have been highlighted through biodiversity surveys spanning more than 15 years, which showed our Brazilian land to have more than 400 species of animals and 350 different native tree species.