Ducks Unlimited Canada and Louisiana-Pacific Building Solutions Sign Landmark Conservation Agreement to Support 6.2 Million Acres in Manitoba's Boreal Forest

January 21, 2020 (Winnipeg, MB) – Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) and Louisiana-Pacific Building Solutions (LP) today announced the signing of a new, 10-year agreement that will positively impact more than 6.2 million acres of Manitoba’s boreal forest, an area larger than the state of Vermont and about half the size of Nova Scotia.

LP, an international engineered wood products company that is certified to Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Standards and has managed forestlands in Manitoba’s boreal forest since 1996, has signed a new stewardship agreement with DUC. This unprecedented agreement between a conservation agency and a forest product company demonstrates a shared commitment to wetland stewardship through planning and operational wetland best management practices. The agreement also includes an annual commitment by LP to continue implementing wetland best management practices and to modify its approach based on new applicable science. The stewardship report, a resource complementary to the agreement, has the endorsement of SFI, the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), the LP Swan Valley Stakeholders Advisory Committee, and an Elder from Pine Creek First Nation.

“Partnerships like these are at the forefront of wetland and waterfowl conservation as they continue to advance methods of operating sustainably in the boreal forest,” said Karla Guyn, CEO of Ducks Unlimited Canada. “Congratulations to all who helped realize these achievements; you represent the strong conservation leadership we need to ensure a healthy and sustainable future.”

“Early on in our forest management operations in Manitoba, we recognized the benefit of working with organizations like DUC to ensure we have the right information in support of our sustainability efforts,” said Brad Southern, CEO of LP. “We’re committed to being good forest stewards and working with DUC and other partners to continue to sustain boreal wetlands and waterfowl within our Manitoba-based operations.”

Since the partnership launched in 2001, DUC and LP have inventoried more than 6.2 million acres of waterfowl-supporting habitat in Manitoba using DUC’s Enhanced Wetland Classification (EWC) system. Wetland inventories are essential to wetland and waterfowl conservation on many levels. They allow mapping of key habitats which sustain waterfowl, and these targeted wetlands can then be managed accordingly to maintain healthy waterfowl populations. Working collaboratively, DUC and LP have developed maps showing distribution of wetland types across the region, new management practices to better conserve wetland and waterfowl habitats, developed wetland classification training sessions for employees and contractors, and published multiple reports and research papers.

Notably, the two groups have collaboratively developed a novel method of estimating carbon stores in boreal wetlands. Within a portion of LP’s Forest Management License Area, where wetlands are present, 250 million tonnes of organic carbon was estimated within the soil and measured using this method. Determining the carbon capture and storage capacity of boreal wetlands is critical to understanding its role in mitigating global climate change.

About Ducks Unlimited Canada - With a conservation community more than 120,000 supporters strong, Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife, and the environment. The areas DUC conserves contribute to many ecosystem services, including carbon capture, water purification, erosion prevention, waste filtration, and biodiversity.

About LP Building Solutions - As a leader in high-performance building solutions, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP Building Solutions, NYSE: LPX) manufactures engineered wood building products that meet the demands of builders worldwide. Its extensive offerings include innovative and dependable building products and accessories, such as LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding, LP Structural Solutions portfolio (LP WeatherLogic® Air & Water Barrier, LP Legacy® Premium Sub-Flooring, LP® TechShield® Radiant Barrier, LP® FlameBlock® Fire-Rated Sheathing and more), oriented strand board (OSB), LP® TopNotch® Sub-Flooring, LP® Outdoor Building Solutions®, and LP Elements® Performance Fencing. In addition to product solutions, LP provides industry-leading service and warranties. Since its founding in 1972, LP has been Building a Better World™ by helping customers construct beautiful, durable homes. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, LP operates 26 plants across the U.S., Canada, Chile and Brazil. For more information, visit LPCorp.com.