Domtar Embraces New Forest Management Standard in Canada
Domtar is strengthening our commitment to sustainability with a pledge to pursue new Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) certification standards for the Canadian government lands that we manage in the Wabigoon and Trout Lake forests. The new FSC standard for responsible forest management in Canada was launched in June.
The new FSC standard consolidates four existing regional standards into one national standard. Recommendations range from physical solutions, such as buffer zones around waterways, to social solutions that address gender equity and engagement with indigenous communities.
“We are proud to continue our work in sustainable forestry by expanding our certification efforts to Trout Lake and also bringing the Wabigoon Forest into certification to the new FSC standard,” says Paige Goff, vice president of sustainability at Domtar.
Domtar remains committed to FSC and independent certification of forest management in the areas where the company operates, particularly the Wabigoon and Trout Lake forests that supply the Dryden Mill in Ontario. Our work with FSC and other stakeholders and indigenous communities assures customers, investors, communities and consumers that we are committed to sustainable forestry principles.
To advance this work, FSC Canada is hosting a workshop in November to discuss the implementation of the new FSC standard with representatives from Domtar, government agencies, First Nations communities and leading environmental organizations, such as Rainforest Alliance and World Wildlife Fund.
“FSC Canada applauds Domtar’s initiative to implement the new Forest Management Standard for responsible forestry on their forest management lands,” says Francois Dufresne, president of FSC Canada. “This commitment will help deliver critical solutions to 21st-century forestry in Canada.”
Applying a new FSC standard requires time to interpret and operationalize the nuances of the recommendations on the ground. This transparent process involves multiple stakeholders, which is why the timeline stretches to 2021.
Because the Wabigoon Forest is already certified under the current FSC standard, it will be audited in the first half of 2020, with certification completed before the end of next year.
The Trout Lake Forest area requires a full certification audit to ensure that we meet all of the rigorous principles of the new FSC standard and to allow for collaboration with stakeholders and indigenous communities. The certification work is currently anticipated to be finished during the first half of 2021.
Learn more about our commitment to sustainable forestry:
