For more than 140 years, our approach to sustainable forest management has resulted in diverse, healthy forests for current and future generations. Key to our approach is the notion that through careful stewardship, the working forest will work for all. It’s why we invest in areas like research, forest management, conservation and community engagement, and this National Forest Week, we are highlighting some of our most recent milestones.
Thanks to robust silviculture practices over the last number of decades, the wood supply is growing. In 2023, we renewed our 25-year forest management agreement with the Province of New Brunswick for Crown Licence 7, setting out wood supply volume, management standards and planning. The new agreement means a stable timber supply for our mills, providing opportunities to continue investing in our mills and employees, which brings job security and confidence to communities.
Last year, for instance, we supported 167 newcomers and their families as they joined our Sawmills and Woodlands divisions. Our investments in language training, education and transportation and partnerships on housing help newcomer families settle and integrate into their new homes, boosting population in local communities.
The growing wood supply also means more carbon removal and storage. In 2023, we maintained carbon neutrality in our Forest Products Supply Chain for the fourth consecutive year in line with the PAS2060:2014 standard. Climate action and adaptation is a vital part of our forest management planning and our approach to our Forest Supply Chain. Last year, we continued to improve our off-road transportation network to reduce fuel consumption while also keeping logging trucks off government highways and enhancing truck cycle times.
We recognize that sustainable forest management encompasses a wide range of ecological and societal values beyond wood supply. Our new Managed Forests and Ecology Report, The Role of Managed Forests in Biodiversity and Conservation in the Acadian Forest, reflects our dedication to supporting research and incorporating findings into our operations. The report contains valuable insights from both our own research and independent, third-party research. It can be read at https://irvingwoodlands.com/managed-ecology-report.aspx
Learn more about how working forests work here: https://nbworkingforests.com
Vous avez des questions sur notre approche de préservation de la santé des forêts? Consultez la FAQ.