Resolute Forest Products Inc : Resolute Celebrates Planting of One Billion Trees in Ontario
08/10/2012| 11:05am US/Eastern
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(Note to editors: This is not a typo - one BILLION planted!)
MONTREAL, Aug. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Resolute Forest Products Inc.
(NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today celebrated the planting of one billion
trees at its forestry operations in northern Ontario. This achievement
is the result of collective efforts made over the past 30 years by the
Company, its employees, numerous contractors and suppliers, and the
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
To mark the occasion, two-meter tall white spruce trees were planted
simultaneously near three of the Company's mill sites in the province -
at Fort Frances, Iroquois Falls, and Thunder Bay. Ontario's Minister of
Natural Resources, the Honourable Michael Gravelle, as well as Member
of Provincial Parliament Bill Mauro were present at the Thunder Bay
site. Many community and Aboriginal leaders also attended each of the
ceremonies.
"This planting ceremony speaks to our long, successful and proud Company
history in northern Ontario and our unwavering commitment to forest
renewal and sustainable forestry," said Richard Garneau, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Resolute. "Forests are among the world's
only renewable resources. We are fortunate to be involved in an
industry that is truly sustainable."
The planting of one billion trees represents more than five million
hours of actual planting, and does not include the countless hours
spent by cone collectors, nursery workers, transportation companies,
site preparation operators, and resource professionals, all of whose
skills are invaluable throughout the process.
Minister Gravelle stated: "I would like to extend my congratulations to
Resolute Forest Products and all parties involved in this
accomplishment. Milestones such as these are a testament to the
partnerships we have forged in our working forests and our commitment
to the sustainability of the natural resources in our care."
Although forests can regenerate themselves through natural processes,
tree planting and other techniques such as aerial seeding are an
important part of a successful forest management program and ensure the
renewal of the softwood forests so critical to the lumber, pulp and
paper businesses.
Resolute manages approximately 4.5 million hectares of Crown and private
lands in Ontario. One hundred percent of the lands managed by Resolute
in Canada are certified to internationally-recognized sustainable
forest management (SFM) standards, with 51% also now certified under
Forest Stewardship Council(®) (FSC) standards.
In June of this year, Resolute became the largest manager of
FSC-certified forests in the world. "For Resolute, attaining this level
of certification to the rigorous FSC standards is an integral part of
both our commitment to sustainable forestry and to meeting the
commercial needs of our customers who are increasingly requesting such
certification," added Mr. Garneau.
About Resolute Forest Products
Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products
industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint,
commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company
owns or operates 21 pulp and paper mills and 22 wood products
facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea. Marketing its
products in more than 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified
100% of its managed woodlands to sustainable forest management
standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock
symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock
Exchange.
Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association
of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are
partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to
identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of
balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human
activities: environmental, social and economic. Resolute is also a
member of the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, in which
businesses establish ambitious targets to voluntarily reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and work aggressively toward achieving them.
SOURCE RESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS INC.
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