Carving a Legacy: Tribal Traditions, Woodworking, and Workforce Development
Blending Culture, Economy, and Environment
This project aims to promote economic diversification, climate resilience, and cultural preservation. It sets out to address challenges Indigenous artisans face in accessing traditional woods, expands market opportunities for non-commercial timber species, and supports the Tribe's stewardship of 1,000+ acres of timberland. By integrating sustainable woodworking practices with Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), the initiative fosters environmental health, economic growth, and cultural revitalization.
Comprehensive Pre-Development Plan
The pre-development phase (June 2025–September 2026) includes a comprehensive feasibility study to assess equipment needs, site logistics, and market opportunities for wood products, focusing on non-commercial species like tan oak and pepperwood. The pilot study will procure essential equipment, including a portable sawmill, vacuum kiln, and traditional tools, to support sustainable processing and cultural practices.
Training and Community Engagement
Culturally relevant training programs will be developed for Tribal members and disadvantaged individuals, with an emphasis on sustainable forestry, sawmill operations, and woodworking techniques. Community engagement will be central, with workshops and forums to ensure that project goals reflect community needs, advance sustainable practices, and preserve cultural heritage.
Equity and Sustainability Outcomes
By prioritizing equity, the initiative empowers Tribal citizens, economically disadvantaged populations, and Indigenous artisans through job creation, training, and access to traditional materials. The project aims to create sustainable timber markets, improve forest health, and reduce greenhouse gases through carbon-neutral energy sources. By September 2026, the pre-development phase would conclude with finalized equipment procurement, community buy-in, and a plan ready for implementation funding, setting the stage for a transformative, equitable project.
Connecting Mass Timber to Regional Housing and Building Needs
Pioneering Mass Timber Manufacturing
Mad River Mass Timber (MRMT) proposes a pre-development project to address the Redwood Region's building and housing needs using locally sourced and manufactured mass timber. MRMT will be California's first mass timber manufacturer, leveraging sustainable forest management to produce low-carbon building materials for affordable, student, workforce, and rural housing, university expansions, and community infrastructure.
Community-Driven Housing Solutions
Partnering with the sustainable architecture firm atelierjones, MRMT will engage tribal and priority communities to identify housing needs and develop prefabricated timber kits for flexible, rapidly deployable housing solutions. They will also pursue pre-permitted design strategies to streamline regulatory approvals, reducing costs and wait times for local projects.
Regulatory Innovation
Specifically, Master Permitting strategies will be pursued with local County and City jurisdictions to try and ensure pre-permitted status of the designs, potentially available for a low-license fee, to reduce costs and time-to-permit for interested local parties.
Strategic Regional Development
This initiative looks to expand markets by connecting sustainable forest management with high-value markets to foster a regenerative timber economy, build capacity by strengthening local planning agencies' sustainable building knowledge and integrating expertise from designers, timber producers, and policymakers, and enhance resilience by creating skilled career paths, modernizing timber construction, and providing affordable housing solutions to improve community resilience in the rural region.
Developing a Climate Forward Workforce & Innovation Pipeline for Forest and Community Resilience
Integrated Approach to Regional Challenges
The Forest WRX Alliance proposal aims to enhance forest and community resilience in the Redwood Region by integrating workforce development, educational pathways, sustainable building solutions, and new funding streams. It includes four main components: Workforce Training Assessment & Dashboard Development, Climate Tech and Natural Resource Management Program, Mass Timber Manufacturing for Rural Housing, and Carbon Market Development.
Addressing Core Regional Needs
The project focuses on addressing regional challenges such as workforce shortages, limited infrastructure, and wildfire risks. By fostering partnerships with Tribal organizations, educational institutions, and industry partners, this project plans to create systemic change in how the region approaches forest management, workforce development, and sustainable building practices.
Measurable Success and Equity Focus
Success will be measured through workforce engagement, partnerships, and specific deliverables across all four main components, to be completed by September 2026. The proposal prioritizes equity by providing accessible training, integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and creating pathways for economic opportunities, small business development, and sustainable housing solutions for underserved communities.
Economic and Climate Benefits
The project creates thriving-wage jobs by developing workforce training, career pathways in sustainable construction and mass timber manufacturing, new educational programs at Cal Poly Humboldt, while opening new markets through carbon credits and expanding rural job opportunities and advancement. This also helps with sustainable economic growth by combining Traditional Ecological Knowledge with modern forestry practices, supporting sustainable building markets, and establishing the region as a leader in climate technology.
Advancing Climate Goals and Inclusion
This project helps advance California's climate goals by reducing wildfire risk, supporting carbon sequestration in mass timber products that replace high-emission building materials, and integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge with sustainable practices and innovative carbon market mechanisms. To support historically excluded communities, this project will provide stipends for Tribal and community participation in the planning processes, ensure there is representation in all processes, and provide targeted support for those in rural or remote areas.