We have chosen “Collaboration, Cooperation, and Communication” as our theme for this issue of Forest and River News, but collaboration has always been at the very heart of Trees Foundation. It is our raison d’etre, but as we all know, it isn’t always easy. Trees Foundation is growing (see here) by evolving and adapting to try to continue to improve our ability to cooperate and communicate, and to be the best possible partner in our many collaborative relationships. 

Reading this issue, even seasoned veterans of the environmental movement may be surprised by how many influential innovations have been incubated and spawned here behind the Redwood Curtain.

In a look back at “The Roots of Cooperative Management,” (see here) Lost Coast League reflects on the instrumental role Trees Foundation played 30 years ago in negotiating the first Memorandum Of Understanding with the U.S. Forest Service, in collaboration with the Karuk Tribe, allowing cultural burning to be revived in their homelands. Trees Foundation is currently working with organizations like Native Heath in Native Hands to increase opportunities for cultural burning and educating communities on the importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in land stewardship (see here). 

Institute for Sustainable Forestry’s article also includes a retrospective describing the origins of ISF and their development of “Ten Elements of Sustainability,” which became the basis of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification and has become an international lumber standard (see here). 

This issue of Forest & River News provides a snapshot of both historic and current, innovative and forward-thinking work by grassroots organizations across the Redwood Region. We hope you are as inspired as we are by the ways small regional organizations can have a huge impact on the future and create ripples of positive outcomes when in collaboration with our ecosystems, and one another. 

For the Forests and Rivers, The Trees Foundation Team