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Lowe's Procurement Policy On August 8, home improvement retailer Lowe's Companies announced a policy to end "selling wood products from endangered forests" and that it had formed a "Healthy Forests Advisory Board" to advise it. In announcing the policy-still somewhat vague in details-Lowe's agreed to be represented by Michael Brune of the Rainforest Action Network, who mentioned "British Columbia, Indonesia and the southeastern United States" as action areas. In addition, Lowe's release stated that "The Board's first actions will be to address a number of ongoing environmental issues, such as the conversion of Southern forests to pine plantations, commercial logging in U.S. national forests, and illegal logging in some foreign countries." These amorphous statements of concern drew a white-hot scolding from South Carolina Forestry Association President Bob Scott. "I am appalled by the recent announcement of a policy by Lowe's to include forests in the Southeast as threatened," he wrote to Lowe's CEO Bob Tillman. "The South's forests are the most productive and sustainably managed in the world. Private and corporate lands account for 90% of the commercial timber. These lands are managed for wildlife, recreation, and to produce a reasonable return on investment," he continued, and asked whether Lowe's is presuming to dictate Southern landowners' management decisions. Back to "News" Forest Resources Association
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