From here. Still here.
Where we Come From
In 1882, Herbert Irving and his son James started a lumber business in Bouctouche, a small community on New Brunswick's Northumberland Strait. What began with one sawmill has grown over generations — but the core value stayed the same: “look after the forest, and the forest will look after you.”
Who We Are
We’re the forestry team at J.D. Irving, Limited and leader in sustainable forest management.
We look after close to 6 million acres (2.4 million hectares) of forest across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine. Since 1957, we've planted more than 1.1 billion trees, taking care of the forest so it's here for tomorrow. We grow more wood than we harvest, year after year.
The wood from these forests supplies the forest products people use every day like lumber, paper, and tissue.
Taking Care of the Forest
-
3.2 million
acres of Irving private freehold land
2nd largest private woodlands owner in North America.
(1.3M hectares) -
2.6 million
acres of managed crown land
New Brunswick Crown License 6&7 managed since 1982.
(1.06M hectares) -
1.4 million
acres in conservation
1 in every 4 acres set aside for the purpose of conservation.
(586,000 hectares)
What We Do
Our role is to care for the land and look after the forest for the long term. That includes:
- Sustainable forest management
- Seed orchard and tree nurseries
- Forest harvest and transport
- Wood procurement and sales
- Tree planting and reforestation
- Wildfire resilience and response
- Research and conservation
What We’re Here For
We are rooted in the place we call home. We take the long view. And we believe in caring for the forest in a way that balances social, ecological and economic values.
Our purpose is to care for the forest — the trees, the land, the waterways, the wildlife — in a way that supports the people who depend on it today and the generations who'll depend on it tomorrow.
Values Rooted in the Forest.
Grow
We grow more wood than we harvest. Each year, we harvest less than 2%, plant millions of trees, and invest in research and technology to help the forest stay healthy and productive.
Provide
The forest supports real work and real wages—jobs in planning, planting, tending, harvesting, trucking, and added-value manufacturing.
Conserve
We set aside habitat for wildlife, protect waterways, and work with researchers to better understand how the land, water, and species all fit together.
Share
From trails to parks to community events, we make spaces for people to get outside, whether that's a family walk, an ATV ride, or an afternoon spent fishing.