At Redwood Burl Inc., we’re deeply committed to ethical practices in everything we do. Located in the heart of California’s coastal redwood country, we’ve built our family-owned business on a foundation of respect for these magnificent ancient trees. We proudly source all of our redwood products—including slabs, burl tables, fireplace mantels, and custom furniture—from legally salvaged and reclaimed wood. We never harvest from live trees, and we never have.
Why Ethical Sourcing Matters for Redwood
Coastal Redwood (Sequoia semper virens) are among the tallest and oldest living beings on Earth, with some specimens over 3,000 years old. Historic logging from the 1850s through the 1980s dramatically reduced old-growth forests, leaving only about 5% of the original stands today. These remaining forests are now protected in national and state parks, and for good reason: they provide critical habitat for endangered species, regulate water cycles, store massive amounts of carbon, and offer irreplaceable natural beauty.Unfortunately, the high demand for rare old-growth redwood burl has led to illegal poaching in protected areas. Poachers cut burls directly from living trees, often fatally wounding them for quick profit. This harms the trees, disrupts ecosystems, and floods the market with questionable wood.
We stand firmly against these practices. Ethical sourcing isn’t just a marketing phrase for us, it’s a core principle that guides every decision we make.
Our Sourcing Process: Salvaged and Reclaimed. Never Live!
We source every piece of redwood we sell from long-dead stumps, fallen logs, and remnants left behind from historic logging operations decades or even centuries ago. In the early days of redwood logging, workers prized straight-grained lumber and often left behind burls, curly-grained sections, and massive stumps because they were considered “defects” or too difficult to mill at the time. Today, these overlooked treasures are what make our products so extraordinary.
We legally and ethically salvage them from:
- Private landowners clearing land for development, roads, or responsible new-growth forestry.
- Historic logging sites where stumps and logs have naturally aged for generations.
- Reclaimed sources, such as old timbers from decommissioned structures (though our primary focus is on raw burl and slab material).
We partner only with reputable, long-established suppliers and personally verify the origin of every log. We never purchase wood from public lands, protected parks, or any source that involves cutting live trees. We never use poached burl. Period.
Our team carefully excavates and mills these salvaged pieces in safe, fair-wage facilities, transforming material that would otherwise decay in the forest into lasting heirloom-quality products.
The Environmental Benefits of Our Approach
By giving new life to salvaged and reclaimed redwood, we actively contribute to conservation rather than depletion:
- Preserving live forests → We leave standing trees untouched, allowing old-growth groves to thrive for future generations.
- Reducing waste → Stumps and logs left to rot release stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Using them instead keeps that carbon locked in beautiful, durable products.
- Lower impact than alternatives → Old-growth redwood is naturally resistant to insects, decay, and fire thanks to its high tannin content, meaning our pieces require minimal chemical treatments and last for centuries.
- Supporting responsible forestry → Our demand for ethically salvaged material encourages landowners to preserve rather than destroy historic remnants.
In short, choosing our products means choosing sustainability without compromise.
Our Promise to You
As a family business that has worked with redwood since the 1970s, we live and breathe these forests. Redwood isn’t just our livelihood—it’s part of our home and heritage. That’s why we go beyond basic legal requirements: we combat poaching by refusing questionable sources, maintain transparent operations, and prioritize quality that honors the tree’s legacy.
When you purchase from Redwood Burl Inc., you can trust that your slab, table, or mantel comes from legally salvaged, reclaimed old-growth redwood—never from a live tree. We’re proud to be the world’s largest supplier of ethically sourced redwood burl, and we’re grateful to customers like you who value integrity as much as beauty.
Ready to bring a piece of responsibly sourced redwood history into your home? Browse our inventory or contact us today—we’re always happy to discuss sourcing details and help you find the perfect piece.
Thank you for supporting ethical redwood craftsmanship.