When you step into a redwood forest, you feel it instantly: the stillness, the scale, the sense that life is bigger, older, and more connected than we often remember in our day-to-day lives. These ancient giants are more than just trees. They are homes for wildlife, guardians of clean water, and reminders of the responsibility we share to carry their legacy forward.
That is why AnswerConnect is proud to partner with Save the Redwoods League, an organization that has been safeguarding and restoring redwood forests for over a century. Together, we are not just protecting trees; we are helping to restore entire ecosystems, empower communities, and build local economies that are rooted in sustainability.
A new kind of economy: Restoration over extraction
For generations, Northern California communities in Humboldt and Del Norte counties relied heavily on industries like large-scale logging. But as those industries declined, so too did opportunities for stable, well-paying jobs. But today, a new chapter is being written.
Save the Redwoods League and its partners are leading large-scale forest restoration projects on California’s “North Coast” that are healing the land while also strengthening communities. Since 2019, nearly $100 million has been invested locally in these restoration projects through state funding, private philanthropy, and community partnerships.
In 2024 alone, these projects supported more than 200 well-paying local jobs, many in skilled fields like construction, heavy equipment operation, and forest management. Over 90% of contractor hours have been filled by local residents, ensuring the benefits stay in the community, fueling small businesses and revitalizing the economy.
Image credit: The Redwoods League
This is what Save the Redwoods League calls a “restoration economy”: an economy that doesn’t take from the land, but heals it, while providing dignified, well-paid work. The League and partners are also supporting apprenticeship programs that prepare the next generation to steward redwood forests. Already, more than 70 college students have been trained in hands-on forest restoration, building the skills that will protect both people and planet.
Nature’s healing power: From ecosystem to economy
Restoration work is about more than jobs. It is about protecting homes and lives. By restoring watersheds and thinning unhealthy forest areas, these projects reduce risks of wildfires and floods. They reconnect streams for salmon, bring wildlife habitats back to life, and create healthier ecosystems for all who depend on them.
Visitors feel the difference too. In 2023, more than 400,000 people visited Redwood National Park, spending nearly $30 million locally. With new trails and habitat restoration underway, the visitor experience will only deepen, bringing more opportunities for eco-tourism and local businesses.
None of this work happens in isolation. The scale and success of these restoration efforts are made possible through collaboration, with public agencies, nonprofits, tribal communities, and private partners all coming together with a shared vision.
Why this partnership matters
At AnswerConnect, our mission is to help people stay connected – whether that’s a business to its customers, or a community to its future. Part of that commitment means planting a tree for every customer and every employee, every month. Our partnership with Save the Redwoods League reflects that same ethos: investing in people, protecting what matters, and creating long-term change that stretches far beyond any one conversation.
Because just as our clients change lives every day through their businesses, so too do these restoration projects change lives. They remind us that when people come together with a shared purpose, the results can be transformative – economically, socially, and environmentally.
Together, we are helping restore more than forests. We are helping restore hope, resilience, and connection. Discover how our customers help make this impact:
Quick takeaways
- Save the Redwoods League has invested nearly $100M locally since 2019
- Restoration programs created 200 local jobs in 2024
- 70+ apprentices trained in forest restoration careers
- Tribal stewardship is shaping the future of redwood forests
- Visitors generated $30M in local spending in 2023
- AnswerConnect is proud to partner in sharing and supporting this impact
