Update on the WWF/ Tembec Partnership in Canada

The partnership supports the aims of the Forest Stewardship Council in Canada and is intended to demonstrate Tembec’s leadership in forest stewardship.

OUR VISION…
The WWF-Tembec Partnership is based upon the following:

Tembec and WWF agree that forest conservation is an important goal and we therefore support a two-pronged strategy that includes well-managed forests and ecologically representative protected areas.
Tembec and WWF agree to cooperate on harnessing market demand that supports both economic and conservation aims, using the increase in sales of Tembec’s FSC-certified products as a measure of success.

Tembec and WWF support the Principles of the Forest Stewardship Council and will participate in the development and field-testing of FSC standards. As regional standards are approved and evaluated by Tembec, the company will seek FSC certification of all of its woodlands as soon as possible.

THE GOAL…
Tembec has set a target of seeking FSC certification for 13 million hectares (32 million acres) of forest managed by the company by the year 2005.

PROGRESS TO DATE…
Certified Forests: SGS Qualifortm issued a FSC Certificate to Westwind Forest Stewardship Inc. in February 2002 for the French Severn Forest in central Ontario. Tembec is a major operational partner in the management of this 855,000 hectare (2.1 million acre) forest. The certification of this white pine and maple dominated forest is a significant step in the eventual certification of all of Tembec’s forest licenses in Canada. Tembec operates on approximately 40% of the French Severn Forest – an area of 333,624 hectares (824,000 acres).

Certified Products: Tembec is currently using a Chain of Custody procedure approved by FSC certifier SmartWood tm at the Temiscaming, Quebec pulp and paperboard complex to produce initial quantities of FSC certified paperboard and high yield pulp. The Tembec Paperboard Group will offer Directory grade FSC Certified Kallimaâ Coated Cover C1S Plus beginning in August 2002.

In April 2002, the Tembec pulp group has successfully produced FSC certified Temcell high yield pulp at its Temiscaming, Quebec complex. Tembec expects to have increasing amounts of FSC Temcell maple pulp available over the next few months, and will also be working on certifying other grades.

Existing lines of FSC certified hardwood flooring and hardwood lumber, can now be expanded. As additional forest area is certified additional grades and product lines such as newsprint, SPF lumber and kraft pulp will become available.

Protected Areas: Tembec has participated in a joint exercise between WWF-Canada and the Quebec Lumber Manufacturers Association to identify areas of high conservation interest in Quebec. The company will continue to work with WWF to support the establishment of protected areas in Quebec.

Work begun by Tembec and WWF in southeast and central Manitoba to nominate protected areas continues with the Canadian Nature Federation and the Manitoba Department of Conservation. The provincial government is currently considering formal designation of candidate areas in 2002.

In British Columbia’s Flathead Valley, Tembec continues on-going efforts in partnership with the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and Nature Conservancy of Canada to protect critical Grizzly Bear habitat in the region.

High Conservation Value Assessments: WWF and Tembec are jointly conducting assessments to identify high conservation values forest attributes on Tembec licenses in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia. These assessments will identify and ultimately confirm management approaches to conserve forests of critical biological, social or cultural importance. This represents a critical step in the pursuit of FSC certification for these licenses.