Features Environment & Sustainability
Resolute increases forest area certified to FSC

Resolute Forest Products has certified an additional 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) of Company-managed forestlands in Quebec to Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) standards. These new certifications raise the total area of Resolute…

Resolute Forest Products has certified an additional 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) of Company-managed forestlands in Quebec to Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) standards. These new certifications raise the total area of Resolute tenures that are FSC-certified in North America to 15.8 million hectares, an area larger than Greece and twice the size of Ireland.

The newly-certified areas include 2.2 million hectares in the Baie-Comeau region of Côte-Nord and 1.3 million hectares in the Senneterre region of Abitibi, the latter representing a joint certification with Tembec.

Resolute has committed to increasing FSC certification of its forest tenures from 18% in 2010 to 80% in 2015. At the time of this announcement in mid-November, the company has certified approximately 65% of its forests to FSC standards.

“Obtaining FSC certification for an area this size is a major milestone,” said Richard Garneau, president and CEO. “The dedication of our forestry teams has been instrumental in Resolute becoming the largest manager of FSC-certified forests in the world. Such an achievement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to responsibly managing the natural resources in our care.”

One hundred per cent of the forests managed by Resolute are already certified to at least one of three internationally-recognized responsible forest management standards: FSC, Canadian Standards Association (CSA Z809) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI).

Resolute Forest Products produces a diverse range of products, including newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products.