Louisiana Cypress Forests: Model Letter to Wal-Mart and Home Depot

Wal-Mart and Home Depot have announced new policies to stop purchasing cypress mulch that is grown, bagged, or produced in Louisiana. Louisiana cypress forests cover over 800,000 acres in the state of Louisiana and are primarily owned by non-industrial private forest landowners. These (primarily family) ownerships rely on revenues generated from their forestland investments to sustain their forests and provide for their families. The maintenance of forest products markets sends an economic signal to forest landowners to continue to manage these investments as forestland, rather than sell or convert the land to other uses. This policy would harm the sustainable management of cypress forests. Reduced sales of cypress mulch in Louisiana threaten their forests, and may signal an oppressive issue for all American forest landowners.
 
The Louisiana Forestry Association has requested the help of the Forest Landowners Association by asking that our members write to Wal-Mart and Home Depot to oppose these policies.  Click below for a model letter to send to Wal-Mart and Home Depot.