The Forest Products Division manages 1.8 million acres of timberlands owned or leased by Bowater in the United States and Canada and 14.1 million acres of timber management rights in Canada. It sells timber and lumber and supplies wood fiber to various manufacturing facilities including Bowater’s pulp and paper mills. The Division also operates three softwood sawmills.

We manage our woodlands to maximize the return on invested capital in a manner consistent with good environmental stewardship and sustainable forest management. Our Upsalquitch forest in New Brunswick recently received ISO 14001 registration of its environmental management system, and we will be seeking registration of our other woodlands operations. Bowater subscribes to the American Forest & Paper Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative^SM.

The Division continues to invest in high-return sawmill projects. These investments are being made to reduce operating costs, improve the fiber supply and lower the costs of our pulp and paper mills.