Through inclusive community engagement, Redwood Forest Foundation acquires, restores and manages depleted forest landscapes to benefit the environment and wellbeing of people.
Why is it important?
RFFI envisions healthy, productive forests that restore local connection and control, ecosystem health and diversity, economic opportunity, and climate resilience throughout the Redwood Region. Unfortunately, millions of acres of industrial land are being sold each year in the United States, and an estimated 18 million acres of forest are lost each year (according to the UN), while forested watersheds provide drinking water for over 180 million Americans. Until now, many of these timberlands have been managed to provide short-term economic gains. This has resulted in depleted forest ecosystems, leading to a contentious public debate. The ability of a non-profit corporation to purchase these forestlands will break this cycle as well as enhance community opportunities. Cutover forestlands do not have the same appeal for preservation as old-growth. However, they are just as important in terms of large, landscape-scale protection and restoration of habitat. The RFFI model creates jobs and improves economic opportunity in depressed rural communities. This model of acquiring and restoring depleted forestland for the benefit of the community is creating a model of large-scale forest conservation and is eliciting global interest.
