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Independent Auditors Certify Willamette Forests as Meeting the Objectives of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(SM)
Independent Auditors Certify Willamette Forests as Meeting the Objectives of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(SM)
Published 10-02-00
Submitted by Willamette Industries
Willamette Industries' forestlands in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas have passed a third-party audit for sustainability. Completed in late September, the audit certifies that forest management activities in Willamette's Southern region are in full compliance with the standards of the American Forest & Paper Association's Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program.
In its audit, PricewaterhouseCoopers gave high marks to a number of Willamette's Southern forest management practices. Specifically, the auditors commended the region's efforts to: establish a comprehensive set of policies to ensure compliance with all SFI objectives; protect forestland along streams, thereby providing much-needed diversity to the landscape; consider the visual impact of a highly visible and sensitive management area; solicit public opinion on the visual impact of forest management; and erosion control on temporary roads following harvests.
PricewaterhouseCoopers also identified areas for improvement. Suggestions included utilizing landscape analysis tools when developing five-year harvest plans, developing long-term biodiversity goals and increasing support of research for biodiversity and water quality.
The SFI program has 11 objectives, including promptly reforesting harvested areas, protecting water quality by establishing streamside protection measures, enhancing the quality of wildlife habitat, and continuing to improve forest utilization to help ensure the most efficient use of forest resources.
Willamette's forestlands in Tennessee and Missouri will be audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers this month. In addition to the 738,000 acres in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, Willamette also manages 610,000 acres in Oregon; 215,000 acres in Tennessee and Missouri; and 167,000 acres in the Carolinas.
According to Andy Kepper, Willamette's Southern sustainable forestry coordinator, this is an on-going process that focuses on continuous improvement of Willamette's forest management program and involves the intensive effort of Southern region foresters and support staff. Lands will be re-audited by a third party on a regular basis, supplemented by formal internal audits and on-going monitoring of action plans that address goals for continued progress and improvement.
Willamette Industries, Inc. was founded in 1906 as the Willamette Valley Lumber Company in Dallas, Oregon. It is a vertically integrated forest products company with more than 100 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and Mexico. The company produces kraft liner, corrugated boxes, paper bags, fine paper, plywood, lumber, engineered wood products, and other value-added forest products. Willamette owns 1.7 million acres of forestland that are managed through its Sustainable Management Program for Timber, Water Quality and Wildlife.
