International Paper announces new initiative to broaden practice of sustainable forestry.

PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 1996--International Paper today announced a plan that will require all loggers supplying the company with fiber to support the American Forest & Paper Association's (AF&PA) Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). The company will require loggers to complete

The SFI is a set of operating principles which ensures meeting the needs of future generations by balancing the growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife habitat, soil, air and water quality. It calls for prompt reforestation of harvested lands, implementation of best management practices for water quality protection and wildlife conservation, improving the aesthetics of timber harvesting, and prudent use of fertilizers and other forest chemicals.

International Paper has been a leader in the development and implementation of SFI. International Paper helped draft the principles, and the company's Board of Directors was one of the first to publicly commit to the SFI in November 1994. International Paper owns or controls more than 6.4 million acres of forestland in the United States, making it the largest private landowner in the country.

"We are putting teeth behind the guidelines and have already refused to do business with some suppliers until they demonstrate a commitment to using best management practices," said W. Michael Amick, executive vice president of Forest Products & Industrial Packaging for International Paper. "Nearly half of the wood we buy already comes from loggers trained in SFI, and we have set reasonable deadlines for reaching 100 percent."

International Paper has a long tradition of practicing sustainable forestry. The company invests heavily in forestry-related research, focusing on forest health and productivity, water quality and wildlife protection. International Paper's Southlands research center is the industry's oldest forestry research facility and a leader in demonstrating how industrial land can be managed to provide both environmental protection and economic returns. International Paper also works with outside researchers and environmentalists to learn more about how best to protect selected wildlife species and their habitats.

In addition, the company has established a wholly owned subsidiary called Sustainable Forest Technologies (SFT) that encourages and promotes sustainable forest management and reforestation. SFT provides services mostly to non-industrial private landowners, ranging from turnkey reforestation with a performance guarantee to long-term sustainable forest management.

"International Paper is committed to maintaining its leadership role in the development and implementation of SFI," Amick said. "The reporting of progress that is represented by AF&PA's SFI annual report is a vital component of the program, and is proof positive that the industry is intent on making sustainable forestry real. As the report makes clear, there is much work to be done by the industry as a whole, but we are making significant progress."

International Paper annually produces enough tree seedlings to replant all the acres harvested to supply fiber for our facilities. By the end of 1996, the company will be growing 260 million seedlings a year, helping the timber industry to grow more wood fiber each year than it cuts.

International Paper, an official sponsor of the 1996 Olympic Games, is a worldwide producer of printing papers, packaging and forest products. The company also operates specialty businesses and a broadly based paper distribution network. International Paper, headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., has 27 U.S. mills and operations in 31 countries. International Paper employs 88,000 people worldwide and exports its products to more than 130 nations.

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