Select Harvest: Local Partnerships for Responsible Forestry

At Urban Evolutions, we offer a wide range of reclaimed and salvaged wood sources that meet a variety of aesthetics; everything from a rustic-cabin-look to Scandinavian-minimalism to contemporary-eclectic spaces. That said, we know traditional reclaimed wood is not suitable for all situations. That’s why we developed Select Harvest through our network of local, trusted partners practicing responsible forestry.

Our Select Harvest wood sources align with the Climate Smart Wood Group’s second option for procurement: wood from climate-smart forestry operations. These operations vary by region, but all prioritize the following values:

• Mitigation: increasing carbon storage in forest ecosystems
• Adaptation: maintaining ecological diversity to improve forest resilience
• Equity: improving community well-being and maintaining equity and justice

Responsible Forestry Practices in Our Region

 We identified several key practices for responsible forestry in our area:

• Development of management plans that prioritize regeneration and forest & land health over maximized yields
• Harvest selection focused on mature, at-risk, and infested trees to promote the growth of healthy stands
• Avoidance of clear-cutting, which protects ecosystems and prevents invasive species

To source wood under these criteria, we invest time building partnerships with smaller suppliers and sawmills. Many of these producers have always practiced responsible forestry, but lack the resources for certification. By working with and supporting them, we help expand demand for responsibly sourced wood and honor practices that have been carried out for generations.

Select Harvest in Action: Oak Savannah Restoration

Once covering 50 million acres, Oak Savannas have dwindled to just 30,000 acres today. We partner with local producers restoring these ecosystems by using responsible thinning practices such as “daylighting the oaks.”

These efforts encourage native plant growth, restore habitats for threatened species, and give harvested oaks new life as interiors full of history and character. Learn more about this work at midwestprairies.com.

Select Harvest in Action: The Menominee Forest

Since 1865, Menominee Tribal Enterprises has managed one of the world’s most sustainable forests through sustained yield management and generations of silvicultural research. Their approach to integrated, long-term forest stewardship is a global model of sustainability.

Learn more about Menominee forest management at www.mtewood.com