Features Environment & Sustainability
Bowater Southeastern Woodlands Certified to the SFI Program

Bowater Incorporated announced certification for 471,000 acres of its timberlands in Alabama, Georgia, North Caroli…
Bowater Incorporated announced certification for 471,000 acres of its timberlands in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee and the company’s southeastern wood procurement systems to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) (SFI) program Standard. An audit, conducted by KPMG Performance Registrar Incorporated, confirmed that Bowater’s timberlands meet the requirements of the SFI(R) program for forest management activities and wood purchasing procedures in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner.
Richard K. Hamilton, President of Bowater’s Forest Products Division said, “The SFI certification by an independent outside auditing firm demonstrates to both the public and our customers that we are providing quality forest products while also protecting the forest resource for the future.”
The SFI(R) program is a comprehensive system that combines the growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality. An independent multi-stakeholder Sustainable Forestry Board manages the SFI(R) program. Currently, 115 million acres of forestland in the U.S. and Canada are enrolled in the SFI(R) program. Seventy million of these acres have been certified by third party auditor.