Climate Action From The Ground Up

The Redwood Forest Foundation’s (RFFI) work in our forests addresses climate change, catastrophic forest fires and drought simultaneously while enhancing the ecology and economy of the region.
Our work (RFFI) supports three of the five natural solutions recommended in the October Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other recent scientific reports.

  • RFFI acquires, conserves, restores and sustainably manages over 50,000 acres of redwood forest
  • RFFI conducts extensive redwood forest restoration in the Usal Creek and South Fork of the Eel River watershed, improving forest health, enhancing important salmon-bearing streams and wildlife habitat
  • Redwood forests sequester more carbon per acre than any forest on the planet
  • RFFI owns and manages one of the largest forest-based carbon sequestration projects in the nation
  • RFFI plants redwoods -over 140,000 redwoods planted since 2010
  • RFFI restores depleted forests, prevents forest fires, by removing and converting forest thinning to biochar
  • RFFI’s North Coast Biochar is placed in the soil to improve soil, save water & store carbon for hundreds of years.

“What Role Do Forests Play in the Emergence of Viruses Like Covid 19?”

The Redwood Forest Foundation has received interest, support and questions from around the globe from individuals seeking solutions to the conditions that contribute to the novel corona virus pandemic. “What do forests have to do with the current pandemic?” “Can we work on the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change at the same time?” “What is the connection between diminishing biodiversity and the pandemic?”

Scientists suggest that these issues are inextricably linked. Certainly, the emphasis now must be treating the ill, preventing the spread of infection and developing testing, tracing, treatments and a vaccine. While our valiant health care workers and scientists are addressing those critical issues, RFFI is working with partners around the globe to address deforestation, habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity and climate disruption- all of which contribute to the emergence of zoonotic viruses like Covid-19 that travel from animals to man. How?   Read and listen to more information about these connections.

Join RFFI in Confronting
Climate Disruption

The Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. (RFFI) believes we as a community have choices! In the 1980’s in the throes of the “Timber Wars” a violent confrontation raged between industrial and environmental interests. The stakes were high. People died. And the Redwood Forest Foundation emerged as a sane, uniting voice in the midst of violent disagreement. Together we carved out a new approach to providing community control over the use and distribution of our region’s natural forest resources. Today we are confronted by this broiling global climate conflict-essentially another dispute over the use of the planet’s resources. RFFI once again finds ourselves uniquely positioned to provide an inclusive, thoughtful, market-based response to a crisis greater than the civilized world has ever faced. RFFI is a small example of enlightened ways in which civilizations undergo transformations.

Join RFFI in moving beyond an old, poorly adapted approach to designing and building an enduring society together. It seems that mankind revolves around carbon! For more than 200 years civilization has derived wealth from prehistoric carbon. We invite you to work with RFFI to transcend the conflicts and pitfalls that loom before us. Move with us to a world that treasures and builds on our strengths, moves beyond conflict to forge a hopeful, productive future. Because RFFI pioneered an innovative market-based strategy for acquiring, utilizing, monetizing and conserving forest resources, we approach this seemingly insurmountable climate crisis with confidence. We believe the same approach that succeeded regionally can pave the way globally.

Reforestration

RFFI has planted more than 135,000 conifers, mostly redwoods, in Usal Redwood Forest. An additional 2,500+ redwoods have been planted in other suitable locations. Donations from our Plant a Redwood Now! donors supported planting more than 10,000 of these redwoods.

USAL REDWOOD FOREST CARBON PROJECT

One of the Nation’s largest forest carbon projects- has sequestered more than 4,829,103 metric ton of carbon.
Read about this important project here.

Climate Action Reserve Carbon Offset Award (from left) Mark Welther, RFFI President & CEO, Gillian Calof, Interim President, CAR, Rachel Tornek, Vice President of Programs, CAR and Tom Tuchmann, President US Forest Capitol.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE!

Support Natural Solutions to Climate Change With a Gift to the Redwood Forest Foundation!

Your gift addresses climate change, supports healthier more resilient forests, improves fish & wildlife habitats, filters and increases the water supply, while creating jobs and providing recreational and educational opportunities for our region’s residents.

Thank You!

A major ice sheet in western Antarctica is melting causing flooding for coastal residents around the globe. Our work in redwood forests can help address these kinds of global impacts.

CATCHING CARBON

“Catching Carbon” is a RFFI Ice on Fire project. RFFI partnership will place 4500 tons of biochar in farms, forests and rangeland in California.

RFFI’s Work as a climate pioneer is featured In the Leonardo DiCaprio HBO Documentary Ice on Fire, a major film on climate change that debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2019. Directed by Leila Conners, of Tree Media, Ice on Fire airs on June 11 at 8:00 PM.

Watch Ice On Fire Movie Trailer 

RFFI’s North Coast Biochar ready to go into the soil

Volunteers planting redwood seedlings

Reforestation and forest restoration bring salmon back to our streams