Georgia-Pacific Increases Forest Protection and Expands Sustainable Forestry Practices

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Nov 16, 2010, 01:27 ET

ATLANTA, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia-Pacific LLC announced today it is expanding its forest protection and sustainability efforts with an updated policy to better identify and protect endangered forests in the United States; promote conservation of forest diversity; and enhance its sustainable forestry and recycling practices.

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"This policy continues our commitment to sustainability in the fiber we source and the products we make," said Jim Hannan, Georgia-Pacific chief executive officer and president. "We continue to believe it is possible to operate in a way that is environmentally responsible and also economically sound. This policy also gives us the opportunity to address issues of increasing interest to our customers and to consumers."

The policy update is the result of ongoing discussions with customers and suppliers, and several years of consultation with a number of environmental organizations, including the Rainforest Action Network, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Dogwood Alliance. In addition, the group worked with Liz Kramer, Ph.D., from the University of Georgia, to develop the scientific methodology that is a focus of the updated policy.

Key provisions of Georgia-Pacific's policy include:

working collaboratively to help define and map endangered forests and special areas where the company will not source fiber;
encouraging the conservation of natural hardwood forests through measures to evaluate the existing level of natural hardwood forests and not promoting future conversion of such forests to pine plantations;
continue to not source fiber from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, until roadless areas identified in the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule are permanently protected;
continue requiring loggers to use both mandatory and voluntary state forestry best management practices;
continue certification of our wood and fiber procurement practices; and
increasing the internal rate of post-consumer recycled fiber within the company's total recycled fiber supply system to 50 percent.

"This expanded policy on forest protection and sustainable practices outlines our new commitments, but also reaffirms the sustainable forestry activities and processes we already have in place," said Deborah Baker, vice president of sustainable forestry, environmental and community outreach. "Working with the environmental groups helped us make sure that we had outside input, which we believe helped us formulate a better policy statement."

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs more than 40,000 people at approximately 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Georgia-Pacific creates long-term value by using resources efficiently to provide innovative products and solutions that meet the needs of customers and society, while operating in a manner that is environmentally and socially responsible and economically sound. The familiar consumer tissue brands of Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, enMotion®, Sparkle®, Mardi Gras® and Vanity Fair®. Dixie Consumer Products LLC, a Georgia-Pacific company, manufactures the Dixie® brand of tabletop products. Georgia-Pacific has long been among the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers, with brands such as Plytanium® plywood, DryPly® water repellent plywood, Ply-Bead® panels and Wood I Beam™ joists offered by Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC and DensArmor Plus® interior panels, DensGlass® Sheathing and ToughRock® drywall offered by Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC. For more information, visit www.gp.com, www.facebook.com/georgiapacific or www.twitter.com/georgiapacific.

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific