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Secretary Norton, International Paper Sign Landmark Environmental Agreement to Protect and Manage Aquatic Resources

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 May 2004, 06:00 CDT

SAVANNAH, Ga., May 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and International Paper today signed the first-ever Aquatic Resources Conservation and Management Partnership Agreement, a landmark environmental partnership expected to significantly improve freshwater ecosystems across the Southeastern United States.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/NYW178-a

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/NYW178-b

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/IPLOGO )

The 10-year agreement covers 5.5 million acres of International Paper forestlands in nine Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Under the agreement, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists will provide technical assistance as the company conducts extensive ecological surveys and conservation projects to help recover imperiled aquatic species and restore their habitat.

"This landmark agreement is a model of how voluntary partnerships with landowners can achieve far more for the conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitat than the government can by itself," Norton said at a ceremony on the banks of the Altamaha River near Brunswick, GA. "With a stroke of the pen, the Interior Department and International Paper are committing to work together to conserve imperiled aquatic ecosystems across an area larger than the state of Massachusetts."

"International Paper is pleased to be involved in the first agreement of its kind to focus on protection, recovery and management of aquatic resources across a broad area," said George O'Brien, IP's senior vice president-Forest Products. "Our company is deeply honored to have Secretary Norton here today to participate in our landmark signing event, and we thank The Nature Conservancy for recognizing the achievement as our host. We look forward to working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on this groundbreaking agreement, showcasing the spirit of voluntary conservation measures."

The Southeastern United States is the center of temperate aquatic diversity. Freshwater ecosystems in this area of the country feature the highest diversity of freshwater mussels and temperate freshwater fishes in the world. Yet threats to the health of the Southeast's aquatic ecosystem are very real. Nearly one-third of the 500 native fishes in the Southern states are considered imperiled. There are about 270 species of mussels in the Southeast, and about 75 percent of those species are in need of some form of conservation.

Freshwater mussels, which are widely considered to be prime indicators of water quality, are one of many aquatic groups that will be studied, managed and protected through this agreement. Management actions outlined in the agreement will benefit aquatic species well known to everyone such as the largemouth bass and channel catfish. They will also benefit imperiled species that rely on water quality like the boulder darter, a rare fish in Alabama and Tennessee; the flattened musk turtle, a rare reptile, and the Black Warrior waterdog, a rare amphibian, both in Alabama; and the dwarf wedgemussel, a rare mussel confined to the Atlantic Slope drainages.

The cooperative conservation actions called for in the agreement include:

* Identifying areas on International Paper land to survey for presence of

imperiled aquatic species where they might occur but have not yet been

detected

* Implementing and measuring the effectiveness of Best Management

Practices to protect water quality during forest operations

* Supporting propagation programs for imperiled aquatic species

* Re-introducing imperiled aquatic species within International Paper

forestlands where there is suitable habitat

* Publicly promoting awareness of the needs of these species

The Aquatic Resources Conservation and Management Partnership Agreement is the first comprehensive agreement that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has signed with a corporation to foster conservation of aquatic species, habitats and ecosystems," said FWS Director Steve Williams. "It lays the groundwork for future conservation of aquatic species in other habitats across the United States."

The protection agreement will extend beyond International Paper forestlands to promote awareness of the need for conservation of aquatic species and habitats within the private sector, through a series of workshops." said Dr. Sharon Haines, IP's director-sustainable forestry and forest policy. "The streams, rivers and lakes that exist on our forestlands are home to thousands of rare fish and water species, and we place tremendous importance on protecting water quality in our forests to provide a nurturing aquatic habitat. I'm very proud of our company and the Fish and Wildlife Service for agreeing to this first of its kind partnership. The protection agreement will make a tremendous difference for aquatic species throughout the South."

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 Fish and Wildlife Management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. Visit our website at http://www.fws.gov/.

International Paper (http://www.internationalpaper.com/) businesses include paper, packaging and forest products. As one of the largest private landowners in the world, IP foresters and wildlife biologists manage the woods with great care in compliance with the rigorous standards of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative(R) program. The SFI(R) program is an independent certification system that ensures the perpetual planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting biodiversity, wildlife, plants, soil, water and air quality. In the U.S. alone, IP protects more than a half million acres of unique and environmentally important habitat on its forestlands through conservation easements and land sales to environmental groups. And, the company has a long- standing policy of using no wood from endangered forests. Headquartered in the United States, IP has operations in over 40 countries and sells its products in more than 120 nations.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/NYW178-ahttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040526/NYW178-bhttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/IPLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

International Paper; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

CONTACT: Rick Ouellette of International Paper, +1-912-238-6399; or TomMacKenzie, of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, +1-404-679-7291

Web site: http://www.internationalpaper.com/http://www.fws.gov/

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