ABH (NYSE, TSX)

    MONTREAL, Sept. 3 /CNW Telbec/ - AbitibiBowater announced today that it
intends to certify three forest units to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
forest management standards. These units are located in Ontario, Quebec and
Nova Scotia, representing a total area of approximately 8 million acres
(3.2 million hectares). The process to certify these areas was initiated
several months ago and efforts are progressing well.
    This decision builds on AbitibiBowater's existing commitments to certify
100% of its managed forests to one of the three predominant North American
certification standards, including the Canadian Standards Association (CSA),
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and FSC. AbitibiBowater has an inclusive
approach to certification, recognizing each of these three standards.
    With 95% of its woodlands operations now certified, AbitibiBowater has
more third party certified sustainable forest land than any other company in
the world. Currently, 46 million acres - an area larger than the size of
Florida - are certified to independent, internationally-recognized standards.
    "AbitibiBowater is already the world's largest manager of certified
sustainable forests in the world," said David Paterson, President and Chief
Executive Officer. "Our decision to add FSC certification to these woodland
operations provides an additional independent confirmation of the value of our
forest management practices and underscores our commitment to the natural
resources under our care."
    Once these certifications have been achieved, AbitibiBowater will manage
one of the largest areas of FSC-certified forests in Canada. The Forest
Stewardship Council is an international, non-profit association, whose
membership includes environmental organizations, indigenous peoples, and
several forest products producers and retailers.

    AbitibiBowater produces a wide range of newsprint, commercial printing
papers, market pulp and wood products. It is the eighth largest publicly
traded pulp and paper manufacturer in the world. AbitibiBowater owns or
operates 27 pulp and paper facilities and 34 wood products facilities located
in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea. Marketing
its products in more than 90 countries, the Company is also among the world's
largest recyclers of old newspapers and magazines, and has more third-party
certified sustainable forest land than any other company in the world.
AbitibiBowater's shares trade under the stock symbol ABH on both the New York
Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.