The annual Forest Conservationist of the Year Award is given in recognition for outstanding achievement in forest and woodlands development management or use, including reforestation, preservation of wilderness areas, wildlife habitat development, fire protection, wise cutting practices, and multiple-use forest lands.
“For 50 years, LP has committed itself to sustainable forest management and fiber sourcing,” said LP Director of Sustainability and Public Policy Donna Kopecky. “We believe that sustainably managed forests make a vital contribution to the world by providing economic, environmental, and social benefits indispensable to the quality of life. Our commitment to provide these benefits is reflected in our daily actions across all our forestry operations.”
Sustainable forest management involves scientific research, rigorous planning, third-party standards, and public consultation. In all forest-management and fiber-sourcing decisions, LP said that it considers forest health and productivity, protecting water resources, conserving biological diversity, aesthetics and recreation, protecting special sites, complying with laws and regulations, and using fiber resources efficiently.
“LP applies sustainable forestry principles and practices to meet the needs of today while building a better world for generations to come,” Kopecky said. “LP’s commitment to sustainable forestry is highlighted by our third-party forest certification to independent standards from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). “In the U.S. and Canada, all the fiber we source is certified to North American SFI standards, while in South America, all our facilities are certified to the international PEFC Chain of Custody standard.”