Sino-Forest Granted CCAA Order

TORONTO, March 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Sino-Forest Corporation ("Sino-Forest" or the "Company") (TSX:TRE) announced that, further to its news release issued earlier today, the Company has obtained an initial order (the "Order") from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (the "Court") for creditor protection pursuant to the provisions of the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act ("CCAA").

Under the terms of the Order, FTI Consulting Canada Inc. will serve as the Court-appointed Monitor under the CCAA process and will assist the Company in implementing its restructuring plan.  Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP is acting as legal counsel to the Monitor.

During the CCAA process, Sino-Forest expects its normal day-to-day operations to continue without interruption. The Company has not planned any layoffs and all trade payables are expected to remain unaffected by the CCAA proceedings.

Additional information regarding Sino-Forest's CCAA proceedings, including information relating to the Support Agreement with noteholders of the Company, will be available on the Monitor's website at http://cfcanada.fticonsulting.com/sfc.

About Sino-Forest Corporation

Sino-Forest Corporation is a leading commercial forest plantation operator in China. Its principal businesses include the ownership and management of tree plantations, the sale of standing timber and wood logs, and the complementary manufacturing of downstream engineered-wood products.  Sino-Forest also holds a majority interest in Greenheart Group Limited (HKSE:00094), a Hong-Kong listed investment holding company with assets in Suriname (South America) and New Zealand and involved in sustainable harvesting, processing and sales of its logs and lumber to China and other markets around the world.  Sino-Forest's common shares have been listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TRE since 1995.  Learn more at www.sinoforest.com.

No stock exchange or regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of information contained herein. This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements relating to the Company's expectations regarding its day-to-day operations and employee and trade payable obligations. The forward looking statements expressed or implied by this news release are subject to important risks and uncertainties. When used in this news release, the words "will", "expects", "planned" and "expected" are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in the circumstances. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events and are not guarantees of future performance of Sino-Forest. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: actions taken by note holders, other lenders, other creditors, shareholders, regulators, governmental agencies and other stakeholders to enforce their rights; actions taken or required by any court in the insolvency proceedings relating to the Company; the outcome of examinations currently underway by law enforcement, securities regulatory authorities and the Company's auditors; the outcome of class action or other proceedings which have been or may in future be initiated against the Company; the accuracy and outcome of the results of tree asset testing undertaken by the Company; our reliance on key employees; our ability to acquire rights to additional standing timber; our ability to meet our expected plantation yields; the cyclical nature of the forest products industry and price fluctuation in and the demand and supply of logs; our reliance on the relationship with local plantation land owners and/or plantation land use rights holders, authorized intermediaries, key customers, suppliers and third party service providers; our ability to operate our production facilities on a profitable basis; changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates; the evaluation of our provision for income and related taxes; economic, political and social conditions and government policy in China, the Republic  of Suriname and New Zealand, and stock market volatility; and other factors not currently viewed as material that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forwarding-looking statements. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the reports filed by Sino-Forest Corporation with applicable Canadian securities administrators. Sino-Forest Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Sino-Forest Corporation