NewPage strengthens partnership with American Tree Farm System®

Nov 13, 2012. /Lesprom Network/. NewPage Corporation has increased its supply-chain preference for pulpwood procured from certified woodland owners, including those certified to the American Tree Farm System® (ATFS), as the company said in a press release received by Lesprom Network. NewPage, the leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, is the largest buyer of pulpwood in the Great Lakes States. In 2011, 48% of the fiber (wood and pulp) purchased by NewPage came from certified sources. According to Gordy Mouw, NewPage Certification and Resource manager, the procurement preference reflects the company's commitment to forest stewardship as well as its efforts to meet the growing demand of its customers seeking paper sourced from certified timberlands. In addition to ATFS, NewPage has established preferences for wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®. "Adding certified ATFS wood to our supply-chain addresses our customers' interests, our own commitment to sustainability, and helps family forest owners by expanding markets for their wood products," Mouw said. "This in turn helps them keep their forest land forested." ATFS is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF) and Tom Martin, President and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, applauded the action by NewPage. "Buying preferences such as the one announced by NewPage contribute to the vitality of American woodlands by encouraging family forest owners to seek certification and manage their woodlands to higher environmental standards," Martin said. "Certification thereby promotes healthy forests and with that more sustainable pulpwood markets." Mouw explained that the supply-chain preference will be imbedded in the company's continuing process of establishing and maintaining relationships with woodland owners and pulpwood suppliers. The relationship between NewPage and ATFS has been a long and fruitful one. Through this partnership, thousands of woodland owners have had the market support to manage their land for optimal environmental and recreational use. NewPage has provided markets, assistance to landowners in conducting responsible management and volunteers to help ATFS operate their owner education and outreach programs to woodland owners. ATFS is a network of 89,000 certified Tree Farmers sustainably managing 27 million acres of forestland. It is the largest and oldest sustainable woodland system in America, internationally recognized, and meeting strict third-party certification standards.