Plantation-Grown Fiber

Our forest operations in Uruguay are planted on grasslands that were primarily used for cattle grazing. We protect any stands of native forests that existed when we purchased the plantation lands. Our mills in the Southern Hemisphere (Uruguay and Brazil) use wood fiber from only our own plantations or other plantations nearby. For example, we buy the raw material for our Lyptus® premium hardwood, which is produced by our joint-venture sawmill in Brazil, from plantations located on the eastern coast, far from the Amazon rainforest. These plantations, owned by others, are interspersed among indigenous forests so that one-third of the area is kept in native vegetation, helping maintain elements of the natural ecosystem.

Our procurement standard precludes the purchase of wood products from forests at risk, which are defined in our procurement guidelines. See our Wood-Procurement Policy for more information.