Preserving Old-Growth Redwoods A marketing campaign, headed by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and supported by the Sierra Club, Greenpeace U.S.A. and the Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters Forest, has called for consumers to stop purchasing old-growth redwood lumber. According to Celia Alario of RAN, the campaign includes: mailings to professional builders and architects to have them sign a pledge to not use old-growth redwood products; advertisements; grassroots activities; and media outreach. Alario remarks that the response has been "pretty good," with more than 400 people signing on to the Redwood Pledge. RAN reports that over 96% of American old-growth redwoods have succumbed to years of logging. These trees, which have been growing for 200 years or longer, are high on the lumber grading scale on lumber appeal. Basing their campaign on "supply and demand" logic, these environmental groups are hoping that if specifiers and consumers refuse to buy old-growth lumber, the timber industry will have no incentive to cut these trees down. In an effort to save ancient redwood forests from logging, RAN and other environmental groups have launched, among other things, a pledge campaign that urges landscape professionals to "protect our last ancient redwoods by not buying old-growth products." If you are interested and would like more information, you can contact RAN at (415) 398-4404. Photo by Doug Thron, provided courtesy of RAN.