For year’s we have been telling you that the Southern US is the largest paper producing region in the world.With just 2% of the world’s forests, the region produces over 20% of the world’s pulp, paper and forest products.But have you ever wondered who is behind the curtain of forest destruction in the Southern US?Well the wizard is none other than , the largest paper producer in the world and the largest operator in the South’s with 25 paper and packaging mills in the US.The company is a notorious bad actor and with years of pressure from concerned citizens has done little to change that shameful image or on the ground practices, in fact recently, Wall Street 24/7 tagged IP as one of the world’s top 10 biggest greenwashers.This piece is the first in a five part series focusing on the IP and takes a closer look at the companies US operations.

Here is the complete list of IP’s 25 paper and packaging mills in the US:
Alabama (3): Courtland, Prattville and Selma
California (1): Port Hueneme
Florida (1): Catonment
Georgia (2): Augusta and Savannah
Iowa (1): Cedar Rapids
Kentucky (1): Henderson
Louisiana (3): Campti, Mansfield, and Pineville
Mississippi (1): Redwood
North Carolina (1): Riegelwood
New York (1): Ticonderoga
Oklahoma (1): Valliant
Oregon (2): Albany and Springfield
South Carolina (2): Eastover and Georgetown
Texas (1): Queen City
Virginia (1): Franklin
Wisconsin (1): Menomonee Falls

That is a pretty big footprint!Of course, we here at the Dogwood Alliance are primarily focused on the forests of the Southern US, so let’s take a quick look at one area in our region that has been hit particularly hard by ’s destructive practices, the Mid-Atlantic Coastal forests.IP has five major mills sourcing from this important and threatened eco-region; Franklin, VA, Riegelwood, NC, Georgetown, SC, Augusta and Savannah, GA.

From the cypress swamps, pine bogs, pocosins and longleaf pine savannas to the alligators and the unique Venus flytrap, the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Forests are home to a rich and diverse swath of the natural world. Indeed this diversity of life is of national and global significance.You can read more on our website about the Green Swamp, Great Dismal Swamp and Savannah River by clicking these links.

Beyond the importance of the amazing biological diversity in these forests, they also provide a broad array of resources that are integral to both our quality of life and are an essential part of our cultural heritage. We all rely on clean, healthy air to breathe. Our forests act as important air filters and with global warming expected to intensify the power of the storms hitting the southern coasts; these forests also play a major role in moderating climate and preventing flooding.

holds broad economic, social and political influence over the management of these forests and therefore over the protection of the ecological values of the region with a particular focus on the impact of three large paper packaging mills (Franklin, VA, Riegelwood, NC and Augusta, GA), one large containerboard mill (Augusta, GA) and one mill producing office paper (Georgetown, SC) which all source wood fiber from these forests.

So as you can see from this example which plays itself out in each and every community adjacent to the 25 mills listed above, has a gigantic footprint here in the US.Check back next week to learn more about IP’s international footprint.