Behind the Scenes: APC Explores Sustainable Forestry with International Paper

- Sustainable Forestry
  IP‘s entire business depends on the sustainability of forests. Our team toured beautiful, thriving forests that are the source of millions of tons of virgin pulp. We learned about the importance of responsibly managing forests to ensure wildlife habitat and healthy and productive forest ecosystems for generations to come. Trees are harvested in small patches over a 70 year cycle, and the surrounding trees renew the 5-acre open meadow naturally with a diversity of seedlings adapted to local soil and climate.

- They Keep Our Forests Working
  International Paper provides economic incentives for landowners to sustainably manage their forestland and keep working forests working. Everything they do is dependent on healthy working forests, including their ability to provide jobs, make products, respond to the critical needs in their communities and create value for their shareholders.

- 11% Of Wood Harvested from Forests is Used To Create Paper
  Only 11% of trees are used to make paper. The remainder is used for solid wood building products, furniture, and fuel-wood.

- Owning The End-To-End Process
  International Paper’s process oversees the manufacturing of paper from end-to-end. We were personally able to witness from the very beginning, seeing the logs arriving on trucks (precisely 90 trucks per day), watching those logs enter into the wood yard and then finally seeing the end result— paper we use on an everyday basis.

- Outstanding Quality
  Accent opaque paper is their best-selling product, offering an exceptional premium surface with enhanced whiteness and 97 brightness (to hold colors true and keep blacks bold).

- Self-sufficient facilities
  IP is unique in that they have their own power plant, allowing them to operate outside the grid if needed. If a large storm is coming in, they shut themselves off from the main grid to ensure no power outage effects their production.

- Dedication
  One of the most amazing things we learned while visiting IP was how dedicated the IP team is to their company. It was rare to meet anyone with less than 25 years of service with IP. It was clear that everyone there was proud to be apart of the family and fully believed in the values of the company. The area where the mill and forest are located in is where most employees were born and raised, and they care greatly about maintaining these areas.