Weyerhaeuser (NYSE: WY) foresters delivered an early Christmas present to the citizens of Washington State Monday morning. Fresh from Weyerhaeuser's new forest at Mount St. Helens, the gift is a 30-foot noble fir that will serve as the centerpiece for holiday festivities in the Capitol's newly refurbished rotunda.

  (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040116/WYLOGO-a
         http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040116/WYLOGO-b )

The noble fir arrived at the Capitol by flatbed truck this morning. The tree is special because it is from the new forest Weyerhaeuser planted in the wake of the devastating eruption of Mount St. Helens 25 years ago. It was one of 18 million seedlings planted by hand in one of the largest-scale reforestation projects in history.

Tom Gideon, Weyerhaeuser senior vice president for Timberlands, said the tree is a heartfelt gift, given with pride connected to 25 years of work at Mount St. Helens.

"This tree symbolizes the success of our sustainable forestry at Mount St. Helens," Gideon said. "It reflects the remarkable renewal of an ecosystem that 25 years ago looked like a moonscape. Today it is a healthy and productive working forest -- at work to provide lumber for homes and other forest products that people need for everyday living."

Weyerhaeuser foresters chose the tree five years ago because of its superior branch structure, full needles and rich blue-green color. They harvested it earlier in the week from a mountain ridge just west of the volcano. Native to Washington, noble fir grow in the higher elevations of the Cascade and coastal mountain ranges.

Like all Weyerhaeuser forestland, the forest at Mount St. Helens is certified as sustainable under the rigorous standards of the Sustainable Forest Initiative program. This means independent experts have determined Weyerhaeuser is managing this forest responsibly with consideration for fish and wildlife habitat, clean water and other important forest values.

Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest integrated forest products companies, was incorporated in 1900. In 2004, sales were $22.7 billion. It has offices or operations in 19 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is principally engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities. Additional information about Weyerhaeuser's businesses, products and practices is available at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/ .

   For more information contact:
   Jackie Lang, 360-636-6812; cell 503-705-0007
   Frank Mendizabal, 253-924-3357

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040116/WYLOGO-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040116/WYLOGO-b
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Weyerhaeuser Company

CONTACT: Jackie Lang, +1-360-636-6812, or cell, +1-503-705-0007, or
Frank Mendizabal, +1-253-924-3357, both of Weyerhaeuser Company

Web site: http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/