South Carolina paper mill closures threaten timber industry and conservation goals

By Jennifer Howard, South Carolina Land Trust Network
The Post and Courier
January 18, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East, United States

Jennifer Howard

SOUTH CAROLINA — International Paper’s announcement of the impending closure of the Georgetown paper mill follows on the heels of the closure of the WestRock paper mill in North Charleston as well as other shutdowns across the Southeast. While some may celebrate fewer trucks on the road or the fading of a mill’s distinct odor, a healthy forest products industry is imperative for the conservation of special places, a hallmark of South Carolina’s values and culture. …More than half of South Carolina’s forests are owned and managed by families. …Land ownership is an investment, one that requires considerable resources at the time of tree planting and throughout the lifecycle of the trees. That investment is recouped when the trees are thinned or harvested. …The closure of these two major mills on the coast means that landowners will continue to experience a crippling financial loss. When landowners of forests and farms suffer financially, conservation suffers.

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