About Forever RedwoodForever Redwood hand-manufactures an extensive selection of solid wooden picnic tables, planter boxes, benches, pergolas, and more that is guaranteed never to rot or decay. We use a portion of our proceeds to fund Redwood forest restoration in northern California. Through furniture sales and your support of our work, we are returning large tracts of forestland to majestic Old-Growth Again. | |
“Global Cooling” Forest ManagementDear hope, Everyone is green today. The airwaves are flooded with promising, green marketing campaigns, and many creative breakthroughs seem to be taking shape in response to climate change and fuel price instability. But, if you look closely, much of the hype is less than it seems. For example, forestry is at the center of the climate change equation. Forests sequester enormous amounts of carbon. The larger the trees are in a forest, the more carbon is held per acre. What About Sustainable Forestry?Since the early 1990's, a fast-growing "Sustainable Forestry" worldwide movement has been making positive inroads. A handful of organizations now "certify" many millions of acres of forestland as "sustainably harvested." Standards vary, but, certification requires overall improvements in forestry practices away from traditional industrial models. Sustainable forestry is helping many forests around the world reverse degradation and rehabilitate deteriorated stands to a limited degree. But, even the more stringent sustainable forestry standards will only have a modest impact in the climate change equation. The scientists say climate cooling requires carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration amounts into the future can be calculated for any parcel of forestland based on how it will be managed. For example, in California's Redwoods, several large forestland owners are certified sustainable. These sustainably harvested forests are logged at approximately 20% of the standing timber volume per decade. An average quality young stand of Redwoods adds about 30 to 35% per decade in new wood volume. As it ages, this growth rate slows. If cut at 20% per decade, the young stand will add a modest amount of net volume for a few decades and then level out. The forest will then be maintained as a healthy and robust stand of trees of average size with few if any large or old trees. If, on the other hand, the rate of cut is limited to 10% in any one decade, the forest will retain more than double the wood volume per acre over the coming century than if "sustainably harvested" at 20% per decade. Forestland managed at this more conservative rate will grow ancient trees again over time and make a large contribution to global cooling. This is "Restoration Forestry" in a nutshell. The Forever Redwood DifferenceOur mission is to demonstrate a much higher standard for working forestlands. Parklands are gorgeous and indispensable, but it is cost prohibitive to convert most of the forests of the world to parklands. Restoration forestry cuts trees conservatively allowing the forest to grow the large ancient trees again. In our 14th year, our forests are a testament to what can be accomplished. Your furniture purchases fund the restoration in its entirety.
If you are planning a purchase in the near future, make sure to use our 10% off coupon code "MIA" to save a few dollars. As always, comments and questions are welcomed. Thank you for your continuing interest and support of our work. From the forest, for the forest— PS. Be sure to check out my blog, where I post Forever Redwood news, stories, photos, and other fun stuff! Restoring logged forests back to Old-Growth Again. Forever Redwood furniture sales fund our forest restoration work. | ||
