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International Forexst Industries / SFI WASHINGTON - The independent Sustainable Forestry Initiativer (SFIr) program - one of the world’s leading third-party forest certification programs - continues to grow exponentially, recently achieving 2,000 chain-of-custody certified locations. (more…)

Democracy Now!, 9 March 2010 | [Amy Goodman interviews Johann Hari and Christine MacDonald.] The second issue is more complex to explain and buried in acronyms, which I apologize to your viewers for, but is really important. It’s called REDD. It’s the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation program. And it’s the absolute centerpiece of how we’re going to build a global agreement to get beyond this. It failed at Copenhagen. It’s going to have to be there in any agreement. And at the moment, it’s based on a very worrying bargain supported by Conservation International and these other groups.

Current Climate Issues blog, 8 March 2010 | New research out today from Sandbag Climate Change compiled in association with www.carbonmarketdata.comreveals the top ten companies set to profit from the EU carbon market. The Carbon Fat Cats List, dominated by steel and cement companies, could share a surplus of pollution permits worth €3.2 billion by 2012 [1]. This is more than double the EU's investment of €1.5 billion in renewable energy and clean technology as part of the economic recovery plan.
[R-M: Sandbag's report is here: http://bit.ly/bI9MKi]

TORONTO, March 10, 2010 /CNW/ - Sino-Forest Corporation (TSX: TRE) will host its fourth quarter and year-end 2009 earnings conference call and live webcast on Tuesday, March 16 at 8:30 am EST. A full copy of the company's earnings release, financial statements and

By Marc Gunther, ClimateBiz.com, 12 February 2010 | [Interview with Jeff Horowitz, Avoided Deforestation Partners] MG: So why don't you -- let's take several categories of businesses, since this is a business audience, and try to summarize what the business opportunity is for each of these groups, starting with the regulated utilities like AEP and Duke Energy and PG&E. What's the opportunity for that group? JH: Well, I think it's very clear that these groups understand that pollution is bad, and controlling pollution at the source is very important to them. The technologies are not all there to create the clean coal that people are alluding to, to scrub the power -- smokestacks that create the pollution. And as they get developed, they're expensive, and the costs need to be brought down over time.

RICHMOND, BC, March 9 /CNW/ - Catalyst Paper (TSX:CTL) today announced that it resubmitted a proposal to the union that could allow for the restart of the Elk Falls paper mill at a labour cost, all in, of approximately $40 per hour. This reflects current market realities and includes changes to

Austrian-based specialist label papers and flexible packaging papers producer Brigl & Bergmeister has announced the appointment of Michael Sablatnig as its new Managing Director. Sablatnig has 25 years extensive industry experience, having previously held the position of Chief Commercial Officer

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Western Forest Products currently leases land from the Nanaimo Port Authority for its downtown mill. The mill has been closed for a year.

Talks are now underway that may see that downtown mill move to the site of the Harmac pulp mill that is located on 500 hectares of land at Duke Point. Then the mill could be set up as an employee-owned model similar to Harmac's.

The workers at the Western Forest Products mill are represented by the United Steelworkers, but the Harmac site is represented by the Pulp, Paper and Workers of Canada union.

Darrel Wong, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which represents WFP's workers in Nanaimo, said there are a number of contentious issues that would have to be dealt with first, including union certification. He said that with all the issues involved there is only a "remote possibility" that the plan will move forward.

Arnold Bercov, president of the Pulp, Paper and Workers of Canada (PPWC), Local 8, which represents workers at Harmac, said the plan could see Western Forest Products supply the mill and remain a part of the management of the operation. Nanaimo Forest Products, who own Harmac, would supply the land for the mill and the workers would buy into the operation and become part owners.

If the project proceeds, the mill could also be a vital source of wood fibre for Harmac.

Bercov said the original plan called for moving Western Forest Products's closed Ladysmith mill (whose workers are represented by PPWC) to the Harmac site, but after discussions with WFP a decision was made to focus on WFP's downtown mill.

Read more:
Unions in talks to move Western Forest Products mill to Harmac site (Vancouver Sun)

Posted by ForestTalk.com

Chile's key forestry sector may see exports fall by around 15 percent this year after a giant earthquake destroyed processing plants, an industry executive told the daily Diario Financiero, accordong to Reuters.com.

Fraser Papers Inc. has announced that the specialty papers business, to emerge from creditor protection under the company's restructuring proposal, will be named "Twin Rivers Paper Company".

The new specialty papers business will consist of the integrated pulp, energy and paper operations in Edmundston, New Brunswick and Madawaska, Maine, as well as two lumber mills located in Plaster Rock and Juniper, New Brunswick. The new company name is reflective of the location of the pulp and paper operations at the confluence of the Madawaska and Saint John Rivers.

"The new name was generated from an employee suggestion process and reflects a number of key characteristics we think are appropriate for the company. These include pride in our northern location and community, combined with the natural attributes of sustainability and strength that we associate with these two rivers," said Jeff Dutton, President and COO of Fraser Papers.

The new name, Twin Rivers Paper Company, is being introduced to employees and customers but will not be used officially until the sale of the specialty papers business is completed, expected in early April, following final court approvals in both Canada and the United States.

Source: Fraser Papers

Posted by ForestTalk.com

Abstract: 

There is wider issue that why the poor become victims not only of environmental degradation but also from environmental improvements is central in community forestry programme. Based on the study of three community forestry user groups of Dhankuta district of eastern development region of Nepal I argue that there is social heterogeneity and resource diversity in the groups that has been given less attention in the programme. Also, there is differentiation of resource endowments and entitlements among different categories of the groups.

Stronger-than-expected growth in fourth quarter and strong demand in some emerging markets balance declining sales in regions affected by downturn TORONTO, March 9 /CNW/ - Tetra Pak, the world leader in food processing

Logset Oy have recently announced that they have entered into a new distribution agreement with their current Southern UK dealer, RJ Fukes Forestry Services. (more…)

REACTIONS TO THE emergence of e-readers from within the pulp and paper industry tend to come in one of two flavors: either i) a head-in-the-sand refusal to believe that anyone would want to read a book or newspaper on an electronic device, no matter how fancy, convenient or cheap; or ii) a we're-all-doomed certainty that traditional publishing is about to die and with it much of the demand for publication papers.

(TSX-V: MPE) Last Close: March 8, 2010 - $0.16 Shares Issued: 62,186,627

St. Marys Paper Corp. plans to curtail production of specialty Supercalendered paper grades on paper machine #5 at its groundwood pulp and paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario for an indefinite period starting March 12, 2010.

Combined with the December 2009 shutdown of #3 and #4 paper machines, 300 direct employees at the St. Marys Paper Corp. operations will be laid-off indefinitely.

The company will be managing the curtailment process so that paper production can continue when market and business conditions warrant.

St. Marys has fought against difficult business conditions over the last several years including historically low product prices, a high Canadian dollar vs. US currency, recent increases in the mill’s key input costs, and the indirect subsidy of U.S. competitors as a result of the “Alternative Fuel Tax Credit Program” which was in place through calendar year 2009 in the US.

The company will take this opportunity to consider the recommendations contained in an updated marketing and sales study, to determine what changes are needed to its operational plan to ensure it is cost competitive, and to recalibrate its business plan to address the realities of the paper industry.

“Our goal continues to be to transition the business from simply a paper production facility to a paper production, green energy and bio-economy business. Significant money, effort and human energy have been invested into this vision which remains the medium and long term strategy for the business,” said Gord Acton, president of St. Marys.

The company will continue to operate its sales and customer service functions to support its customers through this curtailment period.

St. Marys Paper Corp. is a privately owned groundwood pulp and Supercalendered paper mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

The company produces quality paper grades used mainly by magazine publishers and large retailing companies for high quality advertising inserts, flyers and catalogues.

For more information, visit the St. Marys Paper website at http://www.stmarys-paper.com/

Posted by ForestTalk.com

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RICHMOND, BC, March 8 /CNW/ - Catalyst Paper Corporation (TSX:CTL) today announced the expiration of the private exchange offer and consent solicitation (as amended and supplemented, the "Exchange Offer") of Catalyst's 11% Senior Secured Notes due December 15, 2016 (the "New Notes")