Sustainable Forestry

Now, more than ever, sustainable forestry is an important part of our modern world. As populations grow, and individuals and communities require access to additional resources, the role sustainable forestry and forests play in maintaining healthy societies is extremely important.

Healthy, sustainable forests provide clean water, fresh air, and habitat for plants and animals. Sustainable forests also provide natural resources and employment opportunities for nearby communities. As one of the world’s most critical natural resources, it is important to protect forests from illegal and destructive harvesting. Maintaining a healthy planet depends on the protection of forestlands around the world. Sustainable forestry practices help protect these forestlands.

MFP has made an on-going commitment to implement our best efforts to avoid trading and sourcing wood or wood fiber from illegally harvested wood, wood harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights, wood harvested in forests where high conservation values are threatened by management activities, wood harvested in forests being converted to plantations or non- forest use, and wood from forests in which genetically modified tress are planted.

In the 1990s growing environmental concern for sustainable forestry, as well as demand for more socially responsible businesses, led to the emergence of third-party forest certification standards. These standards developed specific tools for measuring and communicating the environmental and social performance of forest operations. These changes in the marketplace have led to an increasing awareness by consumers of the importance of sustainable forestry and its impact on the planet.

One of the primary certification standards to emerge was the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®). Founded in 1993, FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Major environmental groups around the world support FSC. For additional information regarding FSC, please visit our FSC Certification page. Mendocino Redwood Company chose to adopt the very strict FSC standards in order to do our part in sustaining redwood forests.

California’s redwood forestlands are managed based on the tenants of sustainable forestry. A majority of California’s managed redwood forests are certified as sustainable and well managed. In addition, all privately owned redwood forests are subject to California’s strict forestry regulations. State laws protect water quality and conserve wildlife habitat. For additional information regarding California’s strict forest regulations, the following report is available to download:

• California Forestry Regulations