|
Hampton Affiliates currently owns and manages over 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) of timberland in Oregon and Washington. In addition, Hampton manages approximately 120,000 hectares (296,526 acres) of publicly owned forest land in British Columbia. Our timberland is one of the company's most valuable assets, and provides a stable raw material source for our manufacturing facilities and financial flexibility in terms of planning for the Company's growth. Forests are about more than just timber supply for the mills, and mean many things to many people. Forests provide homes to a tremendous variety of wildlife, clean drinking water, and places for recreation, along with supplying us raw material for the products we use on a daily basis.
The goal of sustainable forestry is to combine the continuous growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality, and a wide range of other conservation goals. In order to help us promote and further follow the practices of sustainable forestry, the Company developed its own forest philosophy many years ago with policies to guide our day-to-day forest management operations. I believe it is important to continually share these forest policies with our employees, customers, vendors, and trading partners.
As a responsible steward of forestlands, Hampton will:
• Manage our forestlands to maximize the production of timber over the long-term while giving due consideration to other forest benefits such as clean air and water, wildlife, aesthetics, unique sites, and recreational opportunities.
• Aggressively reforest harvested areas at the first reasonable opportunity.
• Meet or exceed state and provincial forest management guidelines and applicable water quality laws and regulations.
• Provide habitat diversity on our forestlands by maintaining a variety of forested conditions across our ownership.
• Consider options that enhance the visual quality of harvested units.
• Manage our forests to maintain or improve health and productivity, and protect it from wildfire, insects, disease and other damaging agents.
• Utilize state-of-the-art science and technology to enhance forest resource management and improve wood utilization.
• Meet or exceed all applicable label requirements, laws and regulations concerning use of fertilizers, herbicides and other forest chemicals.
• Use and promote forestry practices that are both economically and environmentally responsible.
• Comply with social laws, such as those covering civil rights, equal employment opportunities, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment measures, workers' compensation, indigenous peoples' rights, workers' and communities' right to know, prevailing wages, workers' right to organize, and occupational health and safety.
As a member of both the Sustainable Forestry Initiative SM (SFI) in the US and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for Sustainable Forest Management in Canada, Hampton is committed to use the SFI 2005-2009 Standards Edition for its US forestry operations and the CSA CAN/CSA-Z809 in its Canadian operations. Our timberlands and procurement processes are third-party audited as required. To learn more, contact Dennis Creel for the US SFI program and Richard Vossen for the Canadian CSA program.
HAMPTON RESOURCES, INC.
Philosophy Regarding Sustainable Forestry
The primary purpose of Hampton Affiliates forestland is for the economical production of quality timber for our mills through sustainable forestry practices.
Sustainable forestry means managing our forests to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is accomplished by practicing a land stewardship ethic that integrates the growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air and water quality, and wildlife and fish habitat.
Our commitment to sustainable forestry practices is guided by the following forest policies:
• Manage our forestlands to maximize the production of timber while giving due consideration to other forest benefits such as clean air and water, wildlife, aesthetics, unique sites, and recreational opportunities.
• Aggressively reforest harvested areas at the first reasonable opportunity.
• Meet or exceed state best management practices and applicable state water quality laws and regulations.
• Provide habitat diversity on our forestlands by maintaining a variety of forested conditions across our ownership.
• Consider options that can enhance the visual quality of harvest units.
• Manage our forest to maintain or improve its health and productivity and protect from wildfire, insects, disease and other damaging agents.
• Utilize state of the art science and technology to enhance forest resource management and improve wood utilization.
• Meet or exceed all applicable label requirements, laws and regulations concerning the use of fertilizers, herbicides and other forest chemicals.
• Use and promote forestry practices that are both economically and environmentally responsible.
• Comply with social laws, such as those covering civil rights, equal employment opportunities, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment measures, workers' compensation, indigenous peoples' rights, workers' and communities' right to know, prevailing wages, workers' right to organize, and occupational health and safety.
In order to meet the following principles and objectives, it is the policy of Hampton Affiliates to use the Sustainable Forestry Initiative ® Standard, 2005-2009 Edition as the guiding document for all US forest operations.
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI)
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES – 2005-2009
Principles for Sustainable Forestry
Sustainable Forestry
To practice sustainable forestry to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs by practicing a land stewardship ethic which integrates the reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products with the conservation of soil, air and water quality, biological diversity, wildlife and aquatic habitat, recreation, and aesthetics.
Responsible Practices
To use in our forests and promote among other forest landowners, sustainable forestry practices that are scientifically credible and economically, environmentally, and socially responsible.
Reforestation and Productive Capacity
To provide for regeneration after harvest and maintain the productive capacity of the forestland base.
Forest Health and Productivity
To protect forests from uncharacteristic and economically or environmentally undesirable wildfire, pests, diseases and other damaging agents and thus maintain and improve long term forest health and productivity.
Long Term Forest and Soil Productivity
To protect and maintain long-term forest and soil productivity.
Protection of Water Resources
To protect water bodies and riparian zones.
Protection of Special Sites and Biological Diversity
To manage forests and lands of special significance (biologically, geologically, historically or culturally important) in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities and to promote a diversity of wildlife habitats, forest types, and ecological or natural community types.
Legal Compliance
To comply with applicable federal, state and local forestry and related environmental laws, statutes and regulations.
Continual Improvement
To continually improve the practice of forest management and also to monitor, measure and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.
Objectives
To broaden the implementation of sustainable forestry by ensuring long-term harvest levels are based on the use of the best scientific information available.
• Ensure long-term forest productivity and conservation of forest resources through prompt reforestation, soil conservation, afforestation, and other measures.
• Protect the water quality in streams, lakes, and other water bodies.
• Manage the quality and distribution of wildlife habitats and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity by developing and implementing stand and landscape level measures that promote habitat diversity and the conservation of forest plants and animals, including aquatic fauna.
• Manage the visual impact of harvesting and other forest operations.
• Manage our lands that are ecologically, geologically, historically or culturally important in a manner that recognizes their special qualities.
• Promote the efficient use of forest resources.
• Broaden the practice of sustainable forestry through procurement programs.
• To improve forestry research, science and technology, upon which sound forest management decisions are based.
• To improve the practice of sustainable forest management by resource professionals, logging professionals and contractors through appropriate training and education programs.
• Commitment to comply with applicable federal, state or local laws and regulations.
• To broaden the practice of sustainable forestry by encouraging the public and forestry community to participate in the commitment to sustainable forestry and publicly report progress.
To promote continual improvement in the practice of sustainable forestry and monitor, measure, and report performance in achieving the commitment to sustainable forestry.
 WOODLANDS OPERATION
SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT POLICY
The Woodlands Operation of Babine Forest Products is committed to meeting the environmental policy of Hampton Affiliates. To enable us to meet this policy, we are committed to:
• acting as responsible stewards in sustainable forest management, giving due consideration to all forest values and social values
• achieving and maintaining sustainable management of all forest resources within the bounds of our stewardship obligations, through the thoughtful application of Corporate, Governmental, and Divisional policies and procedures
• meeting or exceeding all applicable environmental legislation and regulations, policies, and other standards or guidelines to which Babine Forest Products subscribes
• respecting the rights of the First Nations community and actively soliciting their input to our proposed management activities with respect to their rights and interest in sustaining the forest
• continually soliciting and considering the concerns and values of the Public in our management plans and decisions
• applying prevention of pollution principles in our operational activities
• providing conditions and safeguards for the health and safety of employees, contractors and the Public
• encouraging research on the forest and on sustainable forest management
• monitoring improvements in science and technology, and incorporating them into sustainable forest management where applicable
• setting our sustainable forest and environmental goals and indicators with input from the Public and conducting a management review of these on an annual basis
• sharing the results of measurements of sustainable forest and environmental goals and indicators with the Public through local consultation processes
By acting on these commitments, we will manage the resources entrusted to us in a sustainable manner. We will demonstrate continual improvement of our Sustainable Forest Management System and its performance over time.
|