The RFFI Board of Directors provides diverse geographic and expertise and stakeholder perspectives. Further, the Redwood Forest Council of community advisors provides local direction and guidance to the Board. Over time, RFFI has convened working groups and engaged relevant professionals for the purpose of soliciting specific types of advice relative to the management of the [...]
The Usal Redwood Forest Company manages the Usal Redwood Forest for RFFI. The Redwood Forest Foundation Board makes major decisions regarding management. A subcommittee of the Board, including its Chairman, Treasurer, President and CEO and a Registered Professional Forester, manage and oversee Usal business matters. Representatives from RFFI’s lender, the Bank of America, serve in [...]
To meet its conservation objectives while remaining in compliance with the financing package, RFFI sold the conservation easement, and will sell carbon credits and/or other ecosystem services at a value that reflects the difference between the property's market value (industrial timber harvest, development and land appreciation) and the conservation value of the property based on [...]
RFFI paid market value for the Usal Redwood Forest based upon projected harvest levels that would be permitted under the California Forest Practices Act. However, RFFI's Conservation Plan that projects lower harvest than allowed under the Act guides the actual harvest. With this in mind, RFFI realized that it was necessary to secure financing that [...]
The Redwood Forest Foundation packaged three separate loans and borrowed 100% of the necessary capital ($65,000,000 purchase price plus transaction expenses) from the Bank of America to purchase the Usal Redwood Forest. The financing package was specifically structured to support RFFI's goal of selling a conservation easement for the property within the first three years [...]
RFFI's has engaged more than 450 residents in helping to develop recreation plans to address public enjoyment of the property while minimizing the negative impacts and dangers of unmanaged public access. RFFI has applied for grants to make some of these plans a reality. Unfortunately they have not been funded. On the other hand, RFFI's [...]
Yes. RFFI has already accomplished this. The Usal Redwood Forest carbon project was approved by California’s Air Resources Board in late August of 2016. With ARB approval, Usal’s carbon was registered as “compliance” credits that can be sold to companies that are required to offset carbon emissions as required by California’s climate change policies. This [...]
California defines Class III streams as those where no aquatic life exists and having the potential to cause sediment problems in Class I and II fish bearing streams. Current law requires that landowners exclude equipment and in some cases modify their harvest practices in these areas. Scientific research has shown that Class III stream buffers, [...]
2.9% inventory cap recognizes both substantive and community related goals. Substantively, a "percent-of-inventory" or "POI" cap will help recruit larger trees and higher inventories across the ownership regardless of market forces which may come into play. Many concerned citizens also believe that a harvest cap is one of the most simple and effective ways to [...]
The Usal Redwood Forest Co is a Limited Liability Corporation that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Redwood Forest Foundation - a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. (RFFI) was developed and is governed by a board of directors that includes community members from the redwood region with backgrounds in finance, forestry, [...]