Every now and then something profound happens and it makes you realize that all the hard work, frustration, persistence and endless patience has been worth it. Today is one of those days. One of those days where we have to pause, take a breath and celebrate. Dogwood Alliance and the iconic Southern paper giant, Georgia-Pacific (GP), are announcing bold new steps the company is taking to prevent the conversion of over 90 Million acres of natural hardwood forests to pine plantations and protect endangered forests in the Southern US – the largest wood and paper producing region of the world. History is in the making. Times are changing. A major economic force affecting forests has shifted.
Over six years ago, I sat with my colleagues at Rainforest Action Network and NRDC across a table from Georgia-Pacific executives to discuss our concerns about the conversion of natural forests to plantations and the destruction of endangered forests in the Southern US. And while it was certainly clear that we didn’t see the world in the same way, something told me then that a breakthrough was possible. The multiple discussions that followed at times made me angry, frustrated and even sad. On many occasions I left meetings or phone calls determined to walk away. But then we’d achieve some big breakthrough, I’d laugh and I’d keep going. Such has been the roller coaster ride with GP over the past six and a half years – a little scary but in the end amazing and invigorating.
Today, GP is stepping away from business-as-usual forestry practices, announcing boldly to the world its new policies to end purchasing wood from endangered forests and from any new plantations established at the expense of natural hardwood forests. Going beyond words on a piece of paper, over the past 2 years, GP, working with Dogwood and NRDC has mapped 600,000 acres of endangered forests and special areas in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal eco-region. Unique forests in and around special areas like the Green Swamp, Great Dismal Swamp and Congaree River, home to endangered venus fly traps, unique swampland forests and a variety of other special species will from here on out be spared from the GP chopping block.
No other wood or paper products company in the US has taken the time to work with conservation organizations and scientists in the South to map endangered forests and special areas on such a large scale within a major wood sourcing region. GP will continue to work with Dogwood to map endangered forests and special areas across the entire South. Maps of Gulf Coast forests will be next.
And while GP has shown much needed leadership on issues of critical importance to the unique forests and communities of the Southern US unless other companies take similar action, our forests will not receive the protection they so deserve. Unfortunately, two big players in the Southern forest industry continue to stand in the way of progress: (IP) and one of its biggest customers of fast food packaging, KFC and its parent company Yum! Brands. Unlike GP, who has engaged proactively with us in an earnest effort to find solutions, IP and KFC continue to deny there’s a problem, covering up forest destruction as good for the environment and refusing to even engage in meaningful dialogue on the issues.
Perhaps today’s announcement with GP will spark a much needed breakthrough with IP and KFC. We’re ready for another roller coaster ride. Come on IP and KFC! Jump on board. Our communities need your help. Our forests need your leadership.
– Danna Smith, Executive Director
PS To dig deeper into this historic agreement, please explore the links throughout my letter…
