Regional Forest Stewardship Standard for Smallholders in Vietnam approved

In celebration of National Wildlife Week, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is announcing it has received a significant and generous donation. J.D. Irving, Limited has donated $1 million to NCC’s national Landmark Campaign. The gift will allow NCC to conserve more habitat for wildlife, complete conservation science and research projects, as well as fund student internships and volunteer programs. “On behalf of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, I would like to express our gratitude to J.D. Irving, Limited for this outstanding contribution,” said John Lounds, President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada. “I would also like to thank Jim Irving for his leadership for 17 years on NCC’s national fundraising campaigns, past and present. This donation will help NCC protect more habitat and at-risk species, connect more Canadians to nature, and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.” Click Read More below for additional detail.

Hearst and Manulife Investment Management today announced the completion of a sale to Hearst of approximately 20,000 acres of sustainably managed forests in Northern California. The forests, which are centered around McCloud, California, have a rich history of industrial forest management dating back to the initial settlement of the town of McCloud in 1897. These mixed species forests have long since been a source of raw material for many of the region’s forest products facilities and in doing so contribute positively to the economy of the area. Manulife Investment Management had been managing these forests on behalf of their investors since 1991. The forests will be added to Hearst’s current timberland ownership of 62,000 acres in the same area operated by Hearst Forests LLC, a subsidiary of Hearst. Hearst owns and sustainably manages a total of 238,000 acres of timber and ranch land in California, including the Hearst Ranch at San Simeon, the Jack Ranch and Hearst Forests in McCloud.

Sappi Europe received a platinum score in the latest EcoVadis rating. The leading global provider of sustainable woodfibre products and solutions retained its top position from the previous year among the leading one per cent of all companies assessed which exhibit high activity and responsibility with regard to corporate social responsibility (CSR). •Sappi Europe receives top rating for sustainability •Unlocking the power of renewable resources to benefit people, communities and the planet. As part of its clear strategic goals in relation to sustainability and environmental protection, Sappi reached a new milestone. The market leader in environmentally friendly packaging and graphic papers received a platinum score in this year’s sustainability rating from EcoVadis, establishing itself as one of the top performers, with a score well above the overall average. The EcoVadis rating covers a total of 21 criteria, which in turn are divided into four general areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.