UPM agrees on sustainable forestry in Minnesota

Finnish forest product company UPM has signed a conservation easement agreement with the State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on 76,000 hectares of UPM-owned forest land in Northern Minnesota. The agreement secures the future economic and recreational use of the company's forests.

The easement agreement is a voluntary, law-based agreement, which commits the landowner to conserve the area in its current use. UPM will receive 44 million dollars, which is approximately 36 million euro, for the easement.

Under the conservation easement, UPM retains ownership of the land and will continue using it as a working forest. The easement provides the public a continuous access to the area for recreational purposes such as hunting, fishing, hiking and snowmobiling. In the USA the recreational use of forests is possible only with the landowner's consent.

UPM's Blandin Paper Mill in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, will continue to manage the forest under its unique Smart Forestry system which is designed to enhance productivity and support economic and environmental sustainability. The land is certified to comply with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification.

- UPM supports the versatile use of forest resources, where economic, ecological and recreational benefit are combined. This conservation easement agreement is an indication of cooperation, which benefits all those who care about our forest lands, says Joe Maher, General Manager of UPM Blandin.