Forest Management Plan Summary

Transcription

1 Beauce, Estrie Forest Management Plan Summary À l usine Domtar de Windsor, ccune de nos décisions est analysée en fonction de MAI 0 Species protection, regeneration and biodiversity, we re looking after it! Concerned for the environment and to ensure sustainable forest management, Domtar s taken concrete steps to maintain its leadership role in the Quebec forest industry. As indicated by its environmental and forest policies, Domtar is committed to protecting the environment and to sustainably developing all the forestlands it owns or holds by implementing leading and recognized forest management practices. The Forest Management Plan provides physical, social, economic and historical information about the current state state of Domtar s private forestlands in each of its regions. The Plan takes all forest resources into consideration, as well as the need to maintain biodiversity. It also outlines the action plan for future forest management activities. Given the complexity and scope of the Forest Management Management Plan, we ve prepared this summary of the main items in the Plan in order to make the information more accessible to the general public. We hope tt this document will help demystify forest management. If you ve any questions or comments, please feel free to send them to us via the Domtar web site at

2 Domtar About Domtar Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) designs, manufactures, markets and distributes a wide variety of fiberbased products including communication papers, specialty and packaging papers and adult incontinence products. The foundation of its business is a network of world class wood fiber converting assets tt produce papergrade, fluff and specialty pulps. The majority of its pulp production is consumed internally to manufacture paper and consumer products. Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America with recognized brands such as Cougar, Lynx Opaque Ultra, Husky Opaque Offset, First Choice and Domtar EarthChoice. Domtar is also a leading marketer and producer of a complete line of incontinence care products marketed primarily under the Attends brand name. Domtar owns and operates Ariva, an extensive network of strategically located paper and printing supplies distribution facilities. In 0, Domtar d sales of US$5.6 billion from nearly 50 countries. The Company employs approximately 9,500 people. To learn more, visit DOMTAR Windsor * Workforce Wood Consumption Fiber Origin Mill: Close to 800 Forest: Close to 50 (for a total of about 5 personyears of forest work) * 0 information.6 million cubic metres of wood 5% in poplar % in softwood 8% in birch, maple and other 5% from Domtar forestlands 5% from private Quebec forests 0% from sawmills 5% from public lands 5% from other sources ** All fiber entering the mill meets the provisions of the Domtar s Fibre Use and Sourcing Policy. 0 information Summary Forest Management Plan Fiber Destination (from Domtar s private forestlands) Fiber from sawing rdwoods and Local sawmills softwoods Fiber for rdwood pulp Windsor mill Fiber for softwood pulp Wood chip mills

3 Forest Management Objectives To protect the environment and ensure sustainable development of forest resources, Domtar s instituted policies to guide the company s development and its forest management objectives. These policies include the following: Forest Policy Environmental Policy Fiber Use and Sourcing Policy Health and Safety Policy Some of these policies are available on the Domtar web site at The company makes sure its Forest Management Plan complies with company policy and current laws and regulations, and meets specific forest management objectives: Keep the forest healthy Work with the regime of natural disturbances Manage the forest based on the reality of the land Develop a productive forest Maintain the volume of rvestable wood year after year Increase the growth performance of the richest sites through targeted silvicultural treatments, including intensive silviculture Maximize forest profitability by producing valueadded products and improving efficiency Protect and ennce other forest resources The main purpose of the Plan is to guide our forestry operations for the next decade, in line with the above policies. It is a strategic planning document for forest management. All the scenarios considered during preparation of the Plan and all its orientations take into account important environmental aspects identified by Domtar management, including the visual look of the landscape, protection of vulnerable areas, conservation of wildlife bitats, compliance with the allowable cut, etc. To be relevant and useful, the Forest Management Plan presents our current and planned forest activities as faithfully as possible; it also states the amount of timber tt can be rvested each year while preserving the integrity of the forest environment and all the resources in it. In addition to the general Forest Management Plan, there is the fiveyear plan, which is available on Domtar s web site ( The fiveyear plan is regularly updated to identify potential areas for action in the next five years. Lastly, each year our technical staff reevaluate the forestry information on mature stands in order to prepare the annual plan tt determines the locations of specific forest activities and silvicultural work. Summary Forest Management Plan

4 Domtar and Its Forestlands The Windsor Wood Fiber Procurement department manages close to 60,000 hectares of private lands in the Beauce and Estrie regions of Quebec. Domtar s forestlands in Quebec. Region Hectares Estrie 00,000 Beauce 60,000 Transferred in conservation Summary Forest Management Plan

5 Forest Structure The forest age and the types of trees in it determine the extent and type of silvicultural treatments. The following is an overview of the forest structure for Domtar forests. Forest structure by age group Definitions Mature % Young or Regenerating % Young or regenerating forest: tree age less tn years Growing forest: tree age between and 60 Mature forest: tree age greater tn 60 Growing 45% Note: The age of a mature forest varies depending on tree species. The figure given here is an average based on most of the species in Southern Quebec. Deciduous 4% Forest structure by tree type Coniferous 8% Mixed 40% Definitions Deciduous forest: more tn 75% of the trees are deciduous. Coniferous forest: more tn 75% of the trees are coniferous. Mixed forest: 6% to 74% of the trees are coniferous. Summary Forest Management Plan 5

6 Current Forest Conditions The forest is a living community. Even without human intervention, the stand structure cnges slowly over time. Trees regenerate, grow, mature and, sooner or later, fall to the ground. This process is also affected by natural phenomena such as ice, insect infestations, fire and strong winds. The purpose of human intervention is to: rvest mature stands in order to obtain economic value from the fiber and facilitate forest regeneration or stimulate regeneration tt is already underway; apply treatments to decrease stand vulnerability to natural perturbations; cull the forest by cutting trees tt are sick or ailing; maintain and even increase forest yields. By evaluating the composition and condition of the forest, technical staff can determine the best way to treat the forest concerned. Reliable forest environmental data plays a key role in decisions about the intensity of silvicultural treatments. Geomorphological data (deposits drainage slope) and ecological types (existing or potential vegetation) provide vital information tt helps us classify sites in terms of their richness, fragility, limitations or other criteria depending on the managers objectives. Naturally, the focus of forest management is reflected in both silviculture and rvesting operations. It all starts with a plan for rvesting mature strata. The plan takes into account all identified limitations, such as laws and regulations, environmental, economic, spatial and temporal distributions, designation (exceptional forest ecosystem, winter grounds for whitetailed deer ( winter ranges), high conservation value forests) and so forth. 6 Summary Forest Management Plan

7 Forest Interventions The table below summarizes the different types forest interventions, the conditions tt determine the type of intervention, the goals and the rvest. Type of Intervention Selection Cutting Conditions Deciduous trees Vigorous trees Trees of mixed age Goal Harvest Improve quality of remaining forest Keep forest vigorous Maintain forest composition 5 40% of trees Mecnized or manual operation Before Salvage Harvesting Ailing trees After Salvage fiber tt would be lost Improve forest vigour Foster forest quality 40 00% of trees Mecnized or manual operation After Before Succession Cutting Trees of mixed ages Mature trees Growing trees Before Promote growth of residual trees Renew the forest Maintain forest vigour 40 70% of trees Mecnized or manual operation After Summary Forest Management Plan 7

8 Forest Interventions Type of Intervention Commercial Thinning Shelterwood Cutting Conditions Goals Harvest Vigorous forest Highdensity forest Trees of the same age Improve residual tree growth Establish regeneration Improve residualtree quality 5 40% of trees Mecnized operation After Before Cutting with Regeneration and Soil Protection (CRSP) Mature trees Ailing trees Trees of the same age Renew forest Improve forest vigour Before Reforestation Hybrid Poplar Rich soil Good drainage Slope < 0% Careful preparation After Accelerate growth Obtain type of fiber used by Windsor mill 95 00% of trees Mecnized or manual operation Protected regeneration At age 00% of trees Hybrid poplar planting after five years Site preparation After 6 years PreCommercial Thinning Vigorous, goodquality forest High density 0 years after CRSP Before 8 Summary Forest Management Plan Stimulate forest growth Improve residualtree quality Selection of desired species 0% After

9 Conservation of Biodiversity and Protection of Threatened and Vulnerable Species Domtar uses different rvesting methods to preserve forest biodiversity and protect species of plants and animals, including threatened and vulnerable species within its forestlands. In effect, high conservationvalue forests (HCVF) and the presence of threatened and vulnerable species are identified on the forest map and taken into consideration when the annual and fiveyear forest management plans are being developed. The following crt shows high conservationvalue forests and other elements of biodiversity identified over time: HCVF IDENTIFICATION RESULTS Significant Concentration of Biodiversity Owner Domtar Conservation organization (from Domtar land) Unit Ancient Forests Refuge Forests Rare & Refuge Forests Estrie 8 0 Beauce Total 44 8 Estrie Beauce Total Grand total Soustotal EFE Deer winter ranges Large Wetlands Other bitat () Total Ancient Forest Proposed to MNRW Large Wetlands 7 : Hectare : Number () Bicknell's Thrush, Wild Leek, Green mountain maidenir fern, potential of nesting for the bald Eagle OTHER ELEMENTS OF BIODIVERSITY (number) Significant Concentration of Biodiversity Threatened & Vulnerable Species Owner Unit Wild Leek Domtar Beauce and Estrie Beauce and Estrie Bald Eagle Nest GoldenWinged Warbler Pickerel Frog Bicknell's Thrush Heron Colonies Raptor Nest Total Start Total Conservation organization (from Domtar land) Other Year 5 Start Total Grand total Élments become HCVF (in whole or in part) Summary Forest Management Plan 9

10 Conservation of Biodiversity Concrete Action Domtar s implemented many measures tt show its commitment to conservation and biodiversity. These include: Collaboration with the Wildlife and Parks Society of the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife: o to manage the deer winter ranges of the whitetailed deer (Watopeka, Saint Gédéon, Armstrong); o to set up a Beaver Management Plan for its own forestlands. Protection of recognized wildlife bitats such as heron colonies Identifying refuge forests for threatened and vulnerable species Identifying high conservationvalue forests (HCVF) and applying mitigation measures when managing such forests Protecting ancient forests and exceptional forest ecosystems targeted by the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife Setting up a program to manage threatened or vulnerable species in its territory o Species list o Map showing species occurrence o Data sheets providing descriptive identification of these species and the mitigation measures for protecting them Conserving wetlands in cooperation with the Agences de mise en valeur de la forêt privée Snags for biodiversity (990) Guide to water crossings ( ) Nesting areas (in cooperation with Ducks Unlimited) (~000) Decisionmaking crt for identifying conservation sites, developed by students in the master s degree Environment program at Sherbrooke University. Summary Forest Management Plan 0

11 NonTimber Values Although Domtar is a pulp and paper manufacturer, it places great importance on the management of nontimber environmental, cultural and social values. NonTimber Forest Products (NTFP) Game Domtar allows organized groups (fish and game clubs) to use its forestlands for hunting and fishing. Naturally, those who do so must follow federal and provincial regulations and the rules and regulations of the clubs. Domtar works with government and other agencies in the development and implementation of wildlife management plans. Maple sap Domtar s no plans at this time to exploit this resource. Since Domtar is a paper producer, maple trees are managed primarily to ennce forest growth and to preserve the sugar maple potential of the maple stands in its lands. Canada yew, mushrooms, blueberries, Christmas trees, young cedars Plants can only be removed from Domtar s lands for commercial purposes if there is a specific agreement tt permits it. Over the years, we ve allowed the rvesting of Canada yew for the production of taxol, and the rvesting of cones for research and the production of plus tree. Forest recreation Domtar authorizes certain groups to use its forestlands to build trails for recreational activities such as hiking, nature interpretation, crosscountry skiing, cycling and snowmobiling. In addition, some groups, like the Scouts, are allowed to hold camps in Domtar s lands. Summary Forest Management Plan

12 Certifications and Policy Domtar, as stated in its policies, s undertaken to ensure the sustainable development of resources during its activities: Forest operations Road building Execution of annual rvesting plan Training, followup and reports Silviculture Territory management Domtar (Windsor mill) holds: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of forestlands in the Beauce and Estrie, plus certification for the FSC cinofcustody at its Windsor mill Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification of forestlands in the Beauce and Estrie, plus certification for the SFI cinofcustody at its Windsor mill ISO 4 00 Environmental Management Certification of forestlands in the Beauce and Estrie. To meet the criteria for these certifications, Domtar is committed to the following: Providing taskbased instructions for each of its activities Evaluating the impact of its activities on wildlife, plants, soil and water Measuring the results of its activities Evaluating and improving as required Having a code of best environmental practices in the forest Controlling environmental incidents Maintaining an emergency measures plan Thinking about the observations and comments received Summary Forest Management Plan

13 Public Access and Recreation The public can access Domtar s lands through certain groups and associations. Lease agreements are mainly signed with organized hunting, fishing and recreational groups. Almost all of Domtar s lands ve such leases. Region Number of Clubs Estrie 54 Beauce Total for these two regions 66 It is rd to give a precise estimate of the number of people who use Domtar lands. The clubs themselves allow access to some 4,000 members in good standing, their immediate families and guests. We estimate tt more tn 0,000 people make use of our lands for organized activities. A number of agreements ve been negotiated with clubs to allow the following types of uses: Snowmobiling Allterrain vehicles (ATVs) Crosscountry skiing Hiking Bicycle trails Tourist sites Also, every year Domtar allows dozens (depending on demand) of recreational and cultural activities to take place in its forestlands. Examples include: An annual training course for young people on wildlife bitats, organized by the MarRin Lands Club in Lingwick, QC and led by wildlife conservation agents Educational forestry and silvicultural activities organized by the Granit Training Centre Research conducted by various institutions Summary Forest Management Plan

14 Conservation of Cultural and Historical Resources Domtar, in partnership with other organizations, is involved in protecting, conserving and enncing cultural and historical resources. For example, Domtar helped establish a museum on the history of gold in Crtierville by allowing the town to use its land for the parking lot and museum building, as well as the trails to be developed in the forest around the museum. In August 004, Domtar transferred a parcel of 4,000 hectares in the Sutton Massif to the Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to ensuring the protection of our natural heritage. This cooperation between Domtar and the Nature Conservancy resulted in the biggest private protected area in Eastern Canada (close to twothirds of the Sutton Mountains, or about 6,000 hectares (5,000 acres). The protected area includes an extension to the Appalachian Trail a network of 4000 kilometres of trails in the United States, and the Long Trail, which runs northsouth through Vermont for some 40 kilometres. In the Sutton Massif, about a hundred kilometres of trails are already managed by the Parc d environnement naturel de Sutton, Sentiers de l Estrie and the Ruiter Valley Land Trust, all local organizations. In January 005, Domtar sold 8,000 hectares of forest in the Adirondacks in the northwestern part of New York State to Nature Conservation (USA). This area of the Adirondacks is the largest protected area in the Eastern United States. In April 005, Domtar launched a new line of ethical and environmental papers called Domtar EarthChoice. Certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and supported by the Rainforest Alliance, Domtar s EarthChoice papers are the papers of choice for socially responsible and environmentally proactive organizations. In 00, Domtar contributed to preserving an additional 85 hectares of wetlands in the Eastern Townships region with a land transfer to Ducks Unlimited Canada, a nonprofit organization dedicated the conservation of wetlands. 4 Summary Forest Management Plan

15 Conclusion There is increasing concern in today s society about the environment and sustainable development of natural resources. For many years Domtar s been introducing environmental initiatives to ensure forest sustainability and it plans to continue playing a leading role in this area. Domtar s system for the environmental management of its forestlands is ISO 4 00 certified. Domtar s Windsor mill is certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) cinofcustody. The FSC symbol on Windsormade products provides consumers with a reliable guarantee tt Domtar is rvesting timber responsibly, in a way tt is respectful of the environment, local communities and workers. Domtar s forestlands in the Beauce and Estrie are also certified to meet the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard, a rigorous standard tt is recognized worldwide by environmental groups and ecologists as promoting sustainable and diversified forests through environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management. These certifications testify to Domtar s sound management of all its forestlands. Tnk you for your interest in our company and the management of our forests. Your feedback is important to us, please send us your suggestions, comments or questions via Domtar s Web site at or to the following address: foresterie.windsor@domtar.com. Summary Forest Management Plan 5