Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     Basis of Presentation The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements (“financial statements”) include the accounts of Glatfelter and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

     We prepared these financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“generally accepted accounting principles” or “GAAP”). In our opinion, the financial statements reflect all normal, recurring adjustments needed to present fairly our results for the interim periods. When preparing these financial statements, we have assumed that you have read the audited consolidated financial statements included in our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2010 Form 10-K”).

     Accounting Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingencies as of the balance sheet date and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management believes the estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of these financial statements are reasonable, based upon currently available facts and known circumstances, but recognizes that actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions.

     Financial Derivatives and Hedging Activities We use financial derivatives to manage exposure to changes in foreign currencies. In accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification 815 Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”), we record all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of derivatives depends on the intended use of the derivative, whether we have elected to designate a derivative in a hedging relationship and apply hedge accounting, and whether the hedging relationship has satisfied the criteria necessary to apply hedge accounting.

     Cash Flow Hedges The effective portion of the gain or loss on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as a hedge of the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows related to forecasted transactions is deferred and reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Deferred gains or losses are reclassified to our results of operations at the time the hedged forecasted transaction is recorded in our results of operations. The effectiveness of cash flow hedges is assessed at inception and quarterly thereafter. If the instrument becomes ineffective or it becomes probable that the originally-forecasted transaction will not occur, the related change in fair value of the derivative instrument is also reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and recognized in earnings.