For the second time in five years, Westvaco Corporation’s forestry operations have captured the wildlife stewardship and forest management awards presented annually by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). Westvaco is the only company to have ever won both awards in a single year, accomplishing that feat first in 1995 and then again this year.
At the association’s spring meeting, held this week in Washington, DC, the Steering Committee for Westvaco’s Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest (WERF) and the company’s Special Areas partnership with The Nature Conservancy were recognized in the wildlife and forestry categories, respectively.
The WERF Steering Committee oversees a wide range of projects on Westvaco’s 8,340-acre research forest located near Elkins, WV. The projects are designed to enhance the understanding of how commercial forestry activities affect various ecosystem values. Since the WERF opened in 1994, 29 different studies have begun or have been completed by researchers from a number of universities and colleges, as well as several public agencies.
Representatives of various public agencies, academic institutions and conservation organizations serve on the Steering Committee. The nine members meet regularly to evaluate research proposals, review all ongoing projects and facilitate the development of additional financial support for the research conducted on the WERF. Funding for studies on the WERF has totaled $1.3 million over the past five years, with one-third of it coming from Westvaco and the balance from outside organizations.
Westvaco received AF&PA’s Forest Management Award for its innovative partnership with The Nature Conservancy. While continuing to meet its fiber supply needs by applying sustainable forestry practices, Westvaco is working with the Conservancy to enhance the identification and protection of rare, endangered and unique plant and animal habitats. The agreement covers more than 1.3 million acres of company-owned land and marks the first time a forest products company has opened its U.S. land base for systematic evaluation by the Conservancy.
When the agreement was signed in September 1999, The Nature Conservancy said that the alliance would create a new model for mutually beneficial cooperation between business and environmental groups in order to enhance conservation and resource management. Commenting on the AF&PA awards, Westvaco Chairman and CEO John A. Luke, Jr., said that the company’s research forest and its agreement with the Conservancy reflect “our commitment to sustainable forest management, which supports our business needs while also ensuring that our forests support diverse plant and animal habitats.”
Westvaco initiated its own Special Areas Program in 1978 and currently lists 145 separate sites of biological or geological significance. Working together, Westvaco and the Conservancy will assess identified management or protection guidelines for existing special areas. Then, the two parties will use Westvaco’s computer-based Forest Resources Information System to identify other potential special areas. If this work identifies new special areas, Westvaco and the Conservancy will cooperate in developing management plans for those sites.
In 1995, Westvaco won AF&PA’s wildlife award for a trio of wildlife projects, including the establishment of the WERF. That same year, the company won AF&PA’s forestry award for its Ecosystem-Based Multiple Use Forest Management System that combines timber production with the protection of ecosystem values. Since 1990, Westvaco has received more than 40 awards for its forestry and environmental performance.
Westvaco Corporation (www.westvaco.com), headquartered in New York, NY, is a major producer of packaging, paper and specialty chemicals. The company serves customers in more than 70 countries and its assets include operations in the United States, South America, Asia and Europe.
Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest Steering Committee Membership
Dr. T. Bently Wigley, Forest Wildlife Scientist
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc.
Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Aquaculture, Fisheries and Wildlife
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Bernard F. Dowler, Chief Wildlife Resources Section
WV Division of Natural Resources
Charleston, WV
Daniel R. Dessecker, Habitat Biologist
The Ruffed Grouse Society
Rice Lake, WI
Dr. Tina Hall, Keweenawa Peninsular Project Director
The Nature Conservancy
Lake Linden, MI
Dr. Dean Stauffer, Associate Professor of Wildlife Science Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Blacksburg, VA
Dr. James Earl Kennamer, Director of Research & Management
National Wild Turkey Federation
Edgefield, SC
Dr. David E. Samuel, Professor Emeritus
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
Dr. Mary Beth Adams, Project Leader & Soil Scientist
USDA Forest Service, Northeast Research Station
Parsons, WV
Mr. Bruce Brenneman, Appalachian Research Center Leader
Westvaco Corporation
Rupert, WV
