Plum Creek Caps Deal to Conserve 18,500 Acres in Wisconsin

Tomahawk, Wisconsin, USA, 22 September 2006 -– Plum Creek Timber Company today announced that it has finalized an agreement with the State of Wisconsin to permanently conserve 18,500 acres in the Wolf River area of Langlade County.

This is the second phase of a conservation easement in the Wolf River
area that will protect natural resources and recreational land now and into the future.

The Langlade County land conserved through this easement is used by people who enjoy outdoor activities and conservationists. The area includes part of Wisconsin's historic Ice Age Trail, which is one of only eight scenic trails in the United States and follows the path of the last glacier that cut through Wisconsin thousands of years ago. This area is often used by recreational enthusiasts from throughout the state for hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and more. Through this conservation effort, the land will continue to be open for Wisconsin's outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.

"We are proud to help conserve this important part of Wisconsin's history," said Lynn Wilson, general manager of Plum Creek's Lake States region. "Plum Creek is a part of Wisconsin, with employees, logging contractors, customers, and other business partners who have lived in and appreciated Wisconsin's valuable forestland for years. As a company that has strong links to the central and northern parts of the state, Plum Creek knows the importance of the land in these areas to the community, and we are proud to protect this section of the Wolf River. We look forward to future conservation opportunities in Wisconsin."

Wilson credited the hard work of Governor Jim Doyle, U.S. Congressmen Dave Obey and Mark Green, U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Secretary Scott Hassett and DNR staff, the USDA Forest Legacy Program (FLP), and Trust for Public Land (TPL) for helping make this conservation easement a reality. Congressmen Obey and Green and Senators Kohl and Feingold worked to secure federal appropriations for the project through the FLP; Governor Doyle and the DNR worked to allocate the funds to this effort; and TPL worked with the state to ensure the property's protection.

Through financial support from the state's Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund and the federal FLP, the conservation easement effort for this land began last year and was completed today.

The land in the conservation easement covers about 29 square miles, or 18,500 acres, south of the Town of Lily. Approximately 7800 acres of the land was placed in conservation today, and about 10,700 acres were placed in conservation in 2005.

"This part of the Wolf River is an asset to the local community and to the entire State of Wisconsin," said DNR real estate chief Dick Steffes. "By working together, the forest products industry will benefit, forestland will continue to be sustainably maintained and this land will be protected and open for public recreation for years to come. We applaud Plum Creek for its efforts to help make this conservation easement a reality."

"We applaud Senators Kohl and Feingold and Representatives Obey and Green for their leadership in securing critical USDA Forest Legacy Program funding for the Wolf River project," said Shaun Hamilton, TPL's Northwoods Initiative director. "We also want to thank Governor Doyle for his support and efforts to bring essential state funding to the project and Plum Creek Timber Company for their commitment to land conservation. TPL is glad to have played a role in the protection of this land to help ensure that this river corridor and the surrounding forest will be conserved for the future, with critical public access for recreation and important continuing contributions to the region's economy."

This conservation transaction is one of several that Plum Creek has recently completed. The company recently announced that it will partner with the State of Wisconsin, the federal government, local organizations, and individuals to conserve 400 acres of forestland in Bayfield County.

Plum Creek is the largest and most geographically diverse private landowner in the nation with more than 8 million acres of timberlands in major timber producing regions of the United States and 10 wood products manufacturing facilities in the Northwest. Plum Creek owns and manages more than 500,000 acres of timberland in Wisconsin. Since 1989, the company has participated in conservation transactions on nearly half a million acres of its lands across the country.

More information about Plum Creek can be found at www.plumcreek.com.