Resolute Celebrates Planting of One Billion Trees in Ontario

(Note to editors: This is not a typo - one BILLION planted!) 

MONTREAL, Aug. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today celebrated the planting of one billion trees at its forestry operations in northern Ontario. This achievement is the result of collective efforts made over the past 30 years by the Company, its employees, numerous contractors and suppliers, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

To mark the occasion, two-meter tall white spruce trees were planted simultaneously near three of the Company's mill sites in the province - at Fort Frances, Iroquois Falls, and Thunder Bay. Ontario's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Michael Gravelle, as well as Member of Provincial Parliament Bill Mauro were present at the Thunder Bay site. Many community and Aboriginal leaders also attended each of the ceremonies.

"This planting ceremony speaks to our long, successful and proud Company history in northern Ontario and our unwavering commitment to forest renewal and sustainable forestry," said Richard Garneau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Resolute. "Forests are among the world's only renewable resources. We are fortunate to be involved in an industry that is truly sustainable."

The planting of one billion trees represents more than five million hours of actual planting, and does not include the countless hours spent by cone collectors, nursery workers, transportation companies, site preparation operators, and resource professionals, all of whose skills are invaluable throughout the process.

Minister Gravelle stated: "I would like to extend my congratulations to Resolute Forest Products and all parties involved in this accomplishment. Milestones such as these are a testament to the partnerships we have forged in our working forests and our commitment to the sustainability of the natural resources in our care."

Although forests can regenerate themselves through natural processes, tree planting and other techniques such as aerial seeding are an important part of a successful forest management program and ensure the renewal of the softwood forests so critical to the lumber, pulp and paper businesses.

Resolute manages approximately 4.5 million hectares of Crown and private lands in Ontario. One hundred percent of the lands managed by Resolute in Canada are certified to internationally-recognized sustainable forest management (SFM) standards, with 51% also now certified under Forest Stewardship Council^® (FSC) standards.

In June of this year, Resolute became the largest manager of FSC-certified forests in the world. "For Resolute, attaining this level of certification to the rigorous FSC standards is an integral part of both our commitment to sustainable forestry and to meeting the commercial needs of our customers who are increasingly requesting such certification," added Mr. Garneau.

About Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. The Company owns or operates 21 pulp and paper mills and 22 wood products facilities in the United States, Canada and South Korea. Marketing its products in more than 90 countries, Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Resolute and other member companies of the Forest Products Association of Canada, as well as a number of environmental organizations, are partners in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement. The group works to identify solutions to conservation issues that meet the goal of balancing equally the three pillars of sustainability linked to human activities: environmental, social and economic. Resolute is also a member of the World Wildlife Fund's Climate Savers program, in which businesses establish ambitious targets to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work aggressively toward achieving them.

SOURCE RESOLUTE FOREST PRODUCTS INC.