Responsible Forest Management

Resolute is a responsible forest manager, operating along with other Canadian forest products companies in a highly regulated environment.

Forest Certification 

Forest certification and fiber tracking help to ensure the sustainability of our fiber supply and other forest values, including biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.

Here are some of the highlights of our work in responsible forest management and wood fiber sourcing:

• 100% of the woodlands we manage are third-party certified to internationally recognized certification standards.
• 100% of Resolute’s manufacturing facilities have a CoC tracking system compliant with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) or the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), all of which require that 100% of the fiber processed meets minimum due diligence requirements related to risks of illegal logging and other important sustainability issues.1
  • 93% of the wood supply for sawmills and 52% of virgin wood fiber inputs for pulp and paper mills are certified to internationally recognized standards.

For details on Resolute’s forest management certification, see here.

Forest Management Planning

In Ontario, Canada, as required by the laws and regulations of the province, Resolute prepares 20- year forest management plans that are updated every five years in collaboration with government and other stakeholders. Public consultation is part of the planning process and critical for the development of collaborative forest management strategies, which ensure that social needs are satisfied and values are protected.

Here’s a closer look at how Resolute plans forestry operations.

First, we develop comprehensive plans with regards to where we harvest. In Canada, we work on public lands, and only a small portion of the boreal is open to harvesting. The boreal forest is one of the world’s most carefully managed forests, and we make sure to comply with all of the stringent regulations that govern it.

This involves:

• • Picking the right spot: Drawing on hundreds of maps, comprehensive wildlife surveys and decades of data, we block off areas where harvesting might conflict with traditional activities of First Nations (Native Canadians), consider the impact on wildlife habitat and take into account the area’s topographical features (for example, proximity to a river).
  • Mimicking nature’s method: We emulate natural disturbances in order to optimize forest regeneration.
  • Harvesting only certain trees: In the boreal, Resolute primarily works with softwood species such as black spruce, white spruce, jack pine and balsam fir. We also work with some hardwood species such as white birch and poplar. All these species require little to no help to regenerate quickly and abundantly. One exception is jack pine, which requires high temperatures (such as in the case of a forest fire) for its cones to release seeds.

Reforestation work begins soon after a harvest. To learn more about forest regeneration, click here.

An abundance of natural regeneration often results in the necessity to perform a “spacing” operation at age 10 to 15.

Returning regularly to ensure regeneration

Over several years following a harvest, we return regularly to the area to ensure that regeneration is progressing well, and to perform corrective measures if needed.