After 2 years of negotiations, Dutch NGO’s and Utility Companies agreed on a biomass policy for wood pellets currently burned for electricity. We in the Southern states know all too well that the drastic increase and scale of demand for wood pellets, driven by countries such as the Netherlands, have had devastating effects on forests and communities. Biomass policies from European countries must be more aggressive with timelines for adequate sustainability standards; our forests depend on it.
So the more things change here at Dogwood, the more things stay the same. We are continuing our campaign, our mission, our heart’s work, to protect Southern forests by transforming the pulp and paper industry. With your support over the years, we have found new and better ways to achieve our shared objectives.
Held every three years, the General Assembly is an exercise in direct democracy where FSC’s members gather in support of the FSC’s noble idea to bring together social, environmental and economic interests into one system for the responsible management of the world’s forests. The General Assembly played out like a compelling novel; savvy business leaders sitting down with environmental activists, labor unionists from around the globe sharing coffee, leaders of Indigenous peoples from the tropics dialoging with FSC officials.
“As an organization working to conserve forests in the largest paper producing region in the world, the US South, we have been pleased with the leadership Domtar has taken to produce paper that has a lighter touch in the woods,” said Danna Smith, Executive Director at Dogwood Alliance. “Domtar was an early adopter of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, when many people said it couldn’t be done in the US South. They proved their critics wrong with the production of Earth Choice and 5 million tons later are continuing to lead the way.”
From the books in the library to the composition pads and math notebooks, paper is a fantastic and effective tool for learning. We want to help you, though, to be aware of the choices that are out there. These choices are important, because by choosing recycled and Forest Stewardship Council certified paper made from responsibly managed forests, you limit your impact on the environment. It’s a great feeling to be able to buy your children’s school supplies and help protect important conservation values in the forests of the US South and around the world.
