Paper loves trees
The paper industry depends on and promotes sustainable forest management to provide a reliable supply of wood fiber, the key raw material for its products. Well-managed forests result in important benefits for society, such as livelihoods, ecosystem services and biodiversity. Continuing demand for paper and other wood products is an indispensable economic incentive for maintaining healthy, forested lands rather than converting them to non-forest uses.
Between 1990 and 2020 U.S. net forest area expanded approximately 605,000 acres per year. [2]
Canada’s total forest area was quite stable between 1990 and 2017, decreasing only about 0.5%, from 860 million to 857 million acres. This was caused primarily by the expansion of agriculture, roads, hydroelectric power and urban development. [3]
More trees are regrown than harvested annually in both the U.S. and Canada. [4]
Tree harvesting occurs on less than 2% of total U.S. forestland each year, and on 0.2% of forestland in Canada. In contrast, nearly 3% of U.S. forestland and 4.5% of Canadian forestland is disturbed annually by natural events like insects, disease and fire. [5]
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