The first initiative, "Tree as a Crop," is designed to educate farmers and small forest landowners about the environmental, social, and economic rewards of properly growing and harvesting trees. It will encourage the natural cycle of planting, harvesting, and replanting trees to be as routine a practice as is the production of other crops -- and one that achieves bio-diversity, economic returns, and positive environmental change.

The second initiative involves a fourth partner, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, is "Eco4 the planet," a demonstration project through which approximately 3000 trees will be planted and organically grown at The Kellogg Conservation Center, a working farm adjacent to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Additionally, 20 acres of soil will become healthier by being transitioned to organic methods, and local farmers with a community-supported agriculture program will farm the land, using the proven techniques of the Rodale Institute .

“We are very excited to be partnering with Rodale Inc., a valued NewPage customer, to pioneer an approach to organically plant and harvest trees as a crop,” said Mike Marziale, senior vice president, Marketing, Strategy and General Management at NewPage. “As farmers and small forest landowners adopt this practice, the potential of trees to improve biodiversity, capture carbon, and provide revenue for communities and farmers will be maximized.”

The Tree as a Crop and Eco4 the planet initiatives will act as a catalyst for change in regional and global agriculture and wood management practices. “Our goal is for the ‘Tree as a Crop' program to be echoed in towns and farms across the country, and ‘eco4 the planet' is our first step in making this happen,” said Anita Patterson, VP, Green Culture Services at Rodale. “Together, the partners are taking our message of organic practices from the Rodale Institute to a community along the Appalachian Trail that is already committed to agriculture, much of it organic. It's a model we hope spreads across the country, and across the world.”

For more information, visit www.treeasacrop.com.

About NewPage Corporation (www.NewPageCorp.com)
Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America, based on production capacity, with USD 4.4 billion in net sales for the year ended 31 December 2008. The company's product portfolio is the broadest in North America and includes coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, newsprint, and specialty papers. These papers are used for corporate collateral, commercial printing, magazines, catalogs, books, coupons, inserts, newspapers, packaging applications, and direct mail advertising. NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the3 United States, and in Nova Scotia, Canada . These mills have a total annual production capacity of approximately 4.4 million tons of paper, including approximately 3.2 million tons of coated paper, approximately 1.0 million tons of uncoated paper, and approximately 200,000 tons of specialty paper.

About Rodale Inc. (www.RodaleInc.com)
Rodale is a global multiplatform media company with a mission dedicated to the health and wellness of the individual, community and planet. The company, which reaches more than 70 million people worldwide, publishes some of the best-known health and wellness lifestyle magazines, and is also the largest independent book publisher in America with a collection of international titles. Rodale's broad range of media platforms includes magazines, books, video, and extensive Web sites. The company also is a leader in direct-response marketing and has more than 25 million active customers in its database.

About Rodale Institute (www.rodaleinstitute.org)
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates global solutions from the ground up. The Institute's soil scientists and a cooperating network of researchers have documented that organic farming techniques offer the best solution to global warming and famine. Founded in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, in 1947 by organic pioneer J.I. Rodale, Rodale Institute's Farming Systems Trial is the longest-running U.S. study comparing organic and conventional farming techniques, and is the basis for practical training of farmers in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Rodale Institute's findings are clear: A global organic transformation will mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere and restore soil fertility. Its mission: We improve the health and well-being of people and the planet.

About Appalachian Trail Conservancy (www.appalachiantrail.org)
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the 2175-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a 250,000-acre greenway extending from Maine to Georgia. Its mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, scenic vistas, wildlife, and opportunities for recreation and renewal along the entire trail corridor. 

About Kellogg Conservation Center
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Kellogg Conservation Center is located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It is a working farm adjacent to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. A local farmer engaged in community supported agriculture will farm the land, using the proven techniques of the Rodale Institute. Three thousand trees (indigenous species of softwoods and hardwoods), including the American chestnut, will be planted and grown organically. Existing field borders will be enhanced with trees and contribute additional carbon sequestration while maintaining habitat for birds and other wildlife and 20 acres of soil will undergo conversion to organic methods. Education, interpretation, and outreach programs will be developed where farmers and landowners will be encouraged to exchange ideas and share best practices.