Green Diamond Resource Co. and its subsidiary the California Redwood Co. both recently earned certifications from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Green Diamond’s California timberlands have been certified as meeting FSC’s forest management standards, and California Redwood has completed FSC’s Chain of Custody certification.
Sustained Commitment
“Green Diamond has proven over decades that we take seriously our responsibility to manage our lands in a sustainable manner,” says Neal Ewald, vice president and general manager of the company’s California timberlands division. “We have a long history of investing in research and modifying our forest management practices to reflect new information, new technology, and innovative forest practices.”
The company uses a variety of harvesting techniques to match the unique qualities of each forest stand. Also, Green Diamond’s federally approved Habitat Conservation Plans allow many trees to be retained in each harvest to maintain wildlife habitats in redwood forests. This practice, along with protecting old-growth stands and regularly consulting with Native American communities, helped the company earn its FSC certification.
California Redwood Co.’s Chain of Custody certification ensures that certified timber harvested from Green Diamond lands is properly tracked from the forest to the lumber customer. “We believe FSC certification will add further value to those products and serve as yet another affirmation of our long-standing commitment to practice effective, responsibly managed, and environmentally sound forestry,” Ewald says.
—Lauren Hunter is the senior products editor at REMODELING. Find her on Twitter at @LaurenHunter_HW or @RemodelingMag.