1 · Selective, low-impact harvesting
We cut the right trees — not all the trees. Thinning improves light, airflow and growth for the trees left standing, and keeps the forest canopy and wildlife habitat intact.
A forest worth
harvesting twice
Sustainability isn't a department at Ridgeback — it's how a 38-year-old logging company plans to be around for 38 more.
Our pledge
Take less than the forest can give back
Wood is one of the few renewable building materials — but only when it's harvested responsibly. That means harvesting slower than the forest grows, protecting water and wildlife, and replanting every acre we touch.
Every Ridgeback harvest is designed by a registered professional forester, audited by independent third parties, and followed up with replanting and monitoring for at least five years.
Discuss a Sustainable Harvest Plan3.2MSeedlings planted since 2005
2 :
1Trees replanted per tree cut
94%Average canopy retained
100%Of each log put to use
How we do it
Four practices behind every harvest
2 · Water & wildlife protection
Streamside buffers up to 100 ft, no-cut wildlife trees, seasonal restrictions around nesting and spawning, and road designs that keep sediment out of the water.
3 · Replanting, then replanting again
Our own nursery grows native Douglas-fir, cedar and hemlock. We plant at two seedlings per tree harvested and return to check survival rates after years one, three and five.
4 · Zero-waste milling
Sawdust becomes animal bedding, bark becomes mulch, chips fuel our kilns and a nearby biomass plant. Nothing from the log is landfilled.
Roadmap
Our 2030 commitments
Public targets, measured every year and reported in our annual stewardship summary.
Plant 5 million native
seedlings64%
Certify 100% of managed
acreage88%
Convert fleet to biodiesel /
electric45%
Divert 100% of mill residue from
landfill97%
Why wood
From seedling to structure
Trees pull carbon from the air as they grow. Turned into lumber, that carbon stays locked inside your home, barn or bridge for generations — while new seedlings take the old trees' place.
01
Plant
Native seedlings go in the ground the season after harvest.
02
Grow
Thinning every 15–20 years keeps stands vigorous and fire-resilient.
03
Harvest
Mature trees are selectively removed and milled locally.
04
Build
Lumber stores carbon for the life of the building — often 100 years or more.
Verified
Independent proof, not just promises
FSC® Chain of Custody
Third-party audited tracking from stump to shipment.
SFI Fiber Sourcing
Responsible sourcing and landowner outreach standards.
Forest Practices Act
Full compliance with state water, soil and wildlife rules.
Tree Farm Partner
Member of the American Tree Farm System network.
Plan your next harvest with the future in mind
Ask for a copy of our annual stewardship summary or book a forest-health assessment.