Implementation may not be the sexiest work Dogwood Alliance does. It goes on behind the scenes with lots of phone calls, meetings and data. Every company is different and sometimes the process is frustrating. But ultimately, implementation is where the rubber hits the road.Otherwise, the agreements we worked so hard to achieve would result in little, if any, on-the-ground change.

You may recall that in June 2005 we signed an historic
agreement with Bowater, Inc., the largest newsprint manufacturer in the Southern US.This
company owned more land on the Cumberland Plateau
than any other paper company and enjoys powerful influence over what happens in
this irreplaceable Bio-gem of Southern forests.

That agreement has born remarkable fruit here in the South
and last Friday we released our second progress report on Bowater.The report details progress the company made
over the second year of implementing the commitments contained in the MOU.

Here is the press release, which tells the story in a nutshell. Here is the full report.

Our high-profile, grassroots campaigns create the leverage
necessary to open the doors to the boardrooms of powerful companies.Our skillful and respectful negotiations with
decision-makers in these companies produce agreements that can make a real
difference on the ground, in the forests, where it counts.But it takes persistent work to implement
those agreements and ensure that our strategy results in real and lasting
protection for Southern forests.

I know you’ll agree that it is deeply satisfying to see our
efforts pay off with such an inspiring leap forward.Your support helped change the direction of a
major supplier of paper in the South and conserve irreplaceable forests.Feels good, doesn’t it?

Much gratitude,

Michelle