Responsible Stewardship

Environmental

Environmental Highlights

Rayonier is committed to managing our forests for sustainable timber production in order to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. We practice a land stewardship ethic that integrates the reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees as an economic enterprise with the conservation of natural resources and energy, wildlife and fish habitats, and aesthetics.

2023 Sustainability Reporting

Policies

Sustainable Forestry & Environmental Management Policy

43M

Seedlings Planted

~7X

More Carbon Removed than Emitted

5.8M

Gallons of Water Saved at Our Nursery

All metrics reflect the reporting period as published in the 2023 Sustainability Report

Third-party Certifications

We are dedicated to meeting the highest standards of sustainable forestry established by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Our voluntary certification programs each consist of a rigorous and comprehensive set of environmental principles, objectives, and performance measures. Criteria under these programs are designed to review whether various standards are met, including that (1) forest management plans are associated with long-term sustainable harvest levels, (2) biological diversity is conserved, (3) appropriate measures are taken to protect water resources, (4) laws and regulations are complied with, (5) workers’ rights and employment conditions meet certain standards, and (6) the rights of Indigenous peoples are recognized and respected.

We strongly oppose illegal logging and deforestation and view these activities to be in direct conflict with sustainable forest management. Illegal logging is strictly prohibited and our compliance with relevant laws and regulations is reviewed through our third-party certification processes.

See our latest SFI audit results and our FSC and PEFC public reports:

SFI audit results

FSC public report

PEFC public report

Improving Our Footprint

Rayonier grows and manages an abundant renewable resource that provides many benefits to society, including carbon sequestration. In order to quantify the impacts that our global operations have on the environment, we conduct an annual analysis of the carbon sequestration and emissions across our forestry operations and corporate activities. This analysis demonstrates that our working forests provide a natural climate change solution, in that we sequester substantially more carbon than we emit.

For a complete analysis of our carbon footprint in the U.S. and New Zealand, see our Carbon Report

Carbon methodology

Our Biodiversity Goals

Our forests are healthy and diverse ecosystems that we manage with a long-term mindset. We recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity both for the health of our forests and the broader ecosystems in which they exist. We are committed to protecting and closely monitoring biodiversity across our timberlands as we manage our working forests.

Visit our biodiversity website to learn more about the critical role biodiversity plays in the health of our forests.

Learn how Rayonier uses the Mitigation Hierarchy framework in our efforts to avoid, minimize, restore or rehabilitate, or offset biodiversity losses

Climate Smart Forestry Principles

Climate change is affecting forest ecosystems worldwide, causing shifts in the distribution, abundance, productivity, and health of trees. Rayonier’s commitment to sustainable forest management requires that we understand both the physical and transition risks posed by climate change to our business, the ecosystems we manage, and society in general.

We believe that traditional forest management practices will need to adapt to the climate conditions that will exist in the future as we strive to maintain productive, healthy, and sustainable forests. By implementing climate smart forestry—strategies and practices designed to manage climate change risks—we expect that Rayonier will be better positioned to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the coming decades.

To see how climate smart forestry addresses risks and opportunities, see our Climate Change Impact Report