Willamette Industries (NYSE: WLL)today announced that its 175,000 acres of Tennessee forest land have been certified in compliance with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program(SM)through independent third-party verification by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The American Forest and Paper Association's Sustainable Forestry Initiative defines a rigorous set of standards and practices which ensure that forest lands are managed in a sustainable manner that is economically,
environmentally and socially responsible. Forestry and auditing experts found Willamette in compliance with all of these standards after extensive field review and detailed scrutiny of the company's forest management activities.

With the successful audit of their Tennessee Timberlands, Willamette becomes one of the few major forest companies in the United States to have their forest ownership independently third-party certified. In total, the company owns 1.7 million acres. Willamette's forestlands in Oregon were certified in September 1999. Forestland in North and South Carolina was certified in August 2000, and all company land in Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas received certification in September 2000.

"This is a significant milestone for our company," says Eddie McMillan, Willamette executive vice president. "It is a clear statement to our customers: 'When you buy Willamette products, you buy from a company who
cares about the future of forest resources and who is willing to submit their forest management practices to a rigorous third-party audit process to verify our sound, environmentally responsible approach to the production of wood fiber.'"

Throughout the year-long process of auditing all 1.7 million acres, Willamette has received consistent commendations for efforts to protect
streams and other water resources, for projects which enhance fish, wildlife and endangered species habitat, and for their cooperative partnerships with outside organizations formed to protect unique areas on company lands. In
addition, Willamette's Director of Forest Policy, Marvin Brown, says, "We have learned a tremendous amount that will help us improve our performance even more in the future." He states, "With the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program we are continuing a philosophy of constantly evolving and upgrading the science and practice of environmentally responsible forest management."

Willamette Industries is an integrated forest products company with more than 100 plants, located in the U.S., France, Ireland and Mexico. The company owns 1.7 million acres of forestland in the U.S. and manages it sustainably to
produce building materials, composite wood panels, fine paper, office paper products, corrugated packaging and grocery bags.

Willamette Industries

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