Domtar, Student Conservation Assn. Enhance Andrew Jackson State Park

This past week (on October 20), more than 50 of Domtar's (Montreal, Qué., Canada) Fort Mill, S.C., USA-based employee volunteers and their families, along with local and international members of the Student Conservation Association (SCA), converged at Andrew Jackson State Park for an intensive half-day of park restoration activities. This included constructing a trailhead kiosk, establishing authorized fishing areas around the park's lake, and installing steps on a steep clay bank.

The project launched an international environmental partnership, in which Domtar will provide support for the SCA's urban initiatives designed to engage youth in local conservation projects in more than 20 major U.S. and Canadian cities.

Over the next 12 months, employee volunteers will be teaming with young SCA conservationists to protect natural and cultural landmarks near Domtar facilities across North America. As participants develop community gardens, build hiking trails, and restore parklands, they will gain important green job skills and experience while strengthening their neighborhood's natural environment.

"Domtar has a long tradition of being committed to enhancing the livelihoods of the communities in which we operate, such as the Carolinas. This hands-on project is an additional opportunity to express our 'caring' value, to improve places where our employees work and live, and to support SCA's projects," John D. Williams, Domtar president and CEO, said.

History abounds at South Carolina's Andrew Jackson State Park, the boyhood home of America's seventh president. Defined trailheads and fishing areas will deter off-trail traffic that can damage natural habitats. The kiosk will allow the posting of helpful information for hikers, and the new steps will alleviate erosion on the lake's west side, while providing safer access for anglers.

"Andrew Jackson is a remarkable state park, offering something for everyone, from nature to history," notes SCA's president and CEO Dale Penny. "SCA is delighted to partner with Domtar in connecting young people to natural places like this and protecting them so they may be enjoyed for generations to come."

Domtar is the largest integrated marketer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. It is also a marketer and producer of a complete line of incontinence care products marketed primarily under the Attends® brand name. Domtar owns and operates ArivaTM, a network of strategically located paper and printing supplies distribution facilities. In 2011, Domtar had sales of $5.6 billion from nearly 50 countries. The company employs approximately 9,500 people.

SCA is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA, with offices in Boise, Id., Charlestown, N.H., Oakland, Calif., Pittsburgh, Pa., and Seattle, Wash.

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