Domtar (Montreal, Canada) reported on Tuesday (Oct. 23, 2018) that their sustainable forestry practices help ensure the company leaves the forests we depend on, and the communities we’re a part of, better off for the long term. The company said it currently works with landowners, conservation groups and others who share our commitment to preserve forestland. These efforts have many environmental and social benefits, including the protection of water supplies, the promotion of biodiversity and the preservation of hunting, fishing and camping grounds.

One example by Domtar of their efforts is a large preservation project that will protect 32,600 acres of forestland known as Clarion Junction Forest. This land surrounds the company's Johnsonburg Mill, which is located between Pennsylvania Game Commission lands and the Allegheny National Forest. Domtar purchased the land in partnership with the Conservation Fund’s Working Forest Fund program, and we will sustainably manage it as a working forest and a timber source for the Johnsonburg Mill while also preserving the natural habitat of many species of wildlife.

The company has already partnered with the American Forest Foundation to help private woodland owners in northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York preserve forestland and improve life for at-risk species by creating and enhancing critical bird habitats. Tangible, measurable and ecologically meaningful preservation techniques like these are necessary for the health of our forests.

The Clarion Junction Forest, the company's latest project, provides habitat for a variety of popular game species, including deer and bear, as well as migratory bird species like the American woodcock, bald eagle, black-throated blue warbler, cerulean warbler and Louisiana waterthrush. Domtar's work with the Conservation Fund will improve and protect forest and aquatic resources while maintaining current leases and public access for recreational activities, including hunting and trout fishing.

"This land acquisition project with the Conservation Fund fundamentally aligns with Domtar’s commitment to preserve forestland," said Paige Goff, Domtar sustainability vice president. "These lands will sustainably support the regional forest-products industry and allow for continued public recreational access. It’s a win-win for Domtar and the Johnsonburg community."

The Conservation Fund will work with public and private partners in the coming years to determine strategies to ensure the land will remain a healthy working forest. These strategies could include placing conservation easements on the land, transferring it to private ownership and/or conveying the land to a public agency for permanent protection.

Since 1985, the Conservation Fund has worked in all 50 states to protect nearly 8 million acres. Over the last decade, its Working Forest program has placed more than 500,000 acres under conservation management; the goal is to ensure another 5 million acres of land across the United States will always be working forestland. That’s directly in line with Domtar's stated commitment to preserve forestland through responsible forestry in the U.S. and Canada.