FSC Certification Achieved: Redwood Forest Foundation Earns Global Recognition for Sustainable ForestryA quiet triumph has taken root in the ancient hush of the redwood forest, where the air smells of Earth and time. The Redwood Forest Foundation (RFF) proudly announces that the Usal Redwood Forest has officially achieved Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification—one of the world's most respected standards for sustainable forest management.This milestone represents more than a stamp of approval. It's a powerful affirmation of our community's commitment to responsible forestry, ecological restoration, and long-term stewardship of one of the most iconic landscapes on Earth.What Is FSC Certification?The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-profit organization that sets rigorous standards for environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable forest management. When a forest is FSC certified, it means that its caretakers are protecting biodiversity and water quality, respecting Indigenous rights, supporting local communities, and ensuring forest products are harvested sustainably.FSC is widely regarded as the gold standard for sustainable forestry. Products bearing the FSC logo are trusted by consumers, retailers, and conservationists alike for their traceable, ethical origins.For RFF, FSC certification confirms what we've long practiced: that forests can be managed in ways that benefit both people and the planet, without sacrificing the ecosystem's health or the communities that depend on it.A Forest Managed by and for the PeopleThe Usal Redwood Forest spans nearly 50,000 acres of working forestland in California's Mendocino County. Unlike most private timberlands, Usal is community-owned and managed by RFF with a vision that integrates ecological, social, and economic goals.Our mission is to restore the redwood forest landscape while providing living-wage jobs, protecting biodiversity, sequestering carbon, and offering public benefit for future generations.FSC certification aligns perfectly with that vision. It validates that our harvesting methods meet strict environmental guidelines and that our operations uphold transparency, accountability, and fairness at every level, from worker safety to cultural resource protection.What This Means for the Forest—and the FutureAchieving FSC certification is a complex and comprehensive process. It requires extensive third-party auditing, on-the-ground inspections, stakeholder interviews, and a demonstrated track record of sustainable practices. Certification is not awarded lightly and is maintained only through ongoing compliance and annual reassessments.For the Usal Redwood Forest, FSC certification confirms:Ecological sustainability includes protecting rare species, old-growth remnants, riparian zones, and watershed health.Responsible harvest practices, where selective logging and long-term rotations preserve forest structure and natural regeneration.Community investment, through local jobs, workforce development, and public engagement.Climate resilience is achieved by managing for carbon sequestration and wildfire risk reduction.In essence, FSC certification doesn't just measure what we harvest but how we care for what remains.A Victory for Community ForestryThis achievement is also a significant milestone in the broader movement for community-based forest management. Usal is one of the most extensive community-owned forests in the western United States—and now one of the few to be FSC certified.It stands as a model for how forests can be governed differently: with local accountability, long-term thinking, and a deep respect for natural systems. This is especially important in an era of climate crisis, resource strain, and increasing ecological fragmentation.At a time when forests around the world are under threat, certification sends a message of hope—that there is another way, and that it's already working in the redwood region.What's Next?FSC certification opens the door to new markets, partnerships, and opportunities for RFF and the communities we serve. It enables us to:Offer FSC-certified wood products to buyers seeking ethical sourcingCollaborate on conservation finance and carbon credit projectsStrengthen trust with public and private partnersSet a national example for forest restoration and rural economic renewalBut more than anything, this milestone renews our promise: to manage this forest not for short-term gain, but for the enduring health of the land, the climate, and the people who call it home.Join Us in StewardshipWe invite you to celebrate this achievement with us. Visit RFF.org to learn more about the certification process, explore sustainable forestry practices, or support our continued work through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word.To walk through the Usal Redwood Forest is to feel history pressing gently on your shoulders, reminding us that time is long and that stewardship is a sacred responsibility.With this FSC certification, we honor that responsibility—and take one more step toward a truly sustainable future, rooted in care, collaboration, and reverence for the forest.Because the forest is not just a place, it's a promise.
