Blandin Forestry has a staff of six foresters, organized into two main functions: Land Management and Wood Procurement. The Forest Ecologist and Land Management Foresters are responsible for the overall management of the company's more than 188,000 acre forest. They determine when and where to harvest timber, build access roads and ensure that the land remains productive. They carefully design timber harvesting plans, specify the season and equipment to be used, and follow up with forest regeneration plans after harvest operations.
UPM buys wood from private, public and company owned land, for use in the Blandin mill. Wood Procurement foresters select and purchase timber to be cut and hauled into the Blandin pulpmill for use in papermaking. They evaluate timber sales offered by all levels of government, private individuals, and UPM lands. Professional loggers are contracted to cut and haul the trees to the mill's scale house, where quality and volumes are recorded.
Our marketing forester arranges to sell other pulpwood, saw logs and biomass to others. All of the wood is transported by road. UPM uses a certified chain of custody tracking system to identify country, region and forest of origin for all wood deliveries.
Wood from sustainable and legal sources
The legal basis for sustainable forestry in Minnesota combines Federal law (ie. the Endangered Species Act), State law and the Minnesota Voluntary Site-Level Forest Management Guidelines published by the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. The US Departments of Interior (Fish & Wildlife Service) monitors compliance with Endangered Species Act.
UPM Blandin recognition of Indigenous Rights
Blandin Paper Company recognizes that it’s landholdings within the state of Minnesota are situated on the traditional and ancestral lands of Indigenous Peoples, particularly the Ojibwe, and the Dakota before them. Additionally, the company recognizes that wood sourcing occurs on lands with similar histories and tribal significance across the Lake States and adjacent Canada. In particular, lands ceded to the US federal government during the 1837, 1847, 1854, 1855, 1863, and 1866 cessions are relied upon for forestry and wood sourcing activities. Blandin acknowledges that the region holds significant cultural, historical, and personal significance for native peoples. Indigenous Peoples have been the traditional stewards to these lands, and Blandin recognizes the value of that stewardship.
Blandin recognizes there are existing legal, customary, and traditional rights recognized through declarations, laws, and treaties governing interactions with Indigenous Peoples. Blandin fully respects the rights of Indigenous Peoples and strives to balance forest management objectives with those rights, preservation of cultural heritage, and traditional ecological knowledge. Continual improvement in these areas is essential, and Blandin is committed to supporting efforts to improve staff knowledge, outreach, and cooperation.
Blandin is currently in the process of more thoroughly assessing the potential impacts to indigenous peoples across its operational region including identifying indigenous communities, potential impacts, and methods for increased coordination. Recognizing that building relationships requires ongoing communication, Blandin welcomes inquiries from indigenous communities and will work to respond in a timely and respectful manner. Inquiries can be submitted in writing by emailing Quintin Legler, Manager of Forest Resources (quintin.legler@upm.com).
