THE HARWOOD story begins over 50 years ago when WWII had just ended and millions of Americans were coming home, getting married, settling down and building houses. Houses made of wood. This put the nation to work logging and milling to create the lumber for those houses, stores, schools and manufacturing centers.

At home, the Harwood family saw a need for steady, quality employment for the people in the small village of Branscomb, nestled in the timbered foothills of Northwestern Mendocino County. California was growing and the demand for lumber products was fueled by the rapidly growing state, as well as a nation hungry for lumber products.

The Harwood company story began slowly at first, but grew steadily to become one of California's most well respected and socially responsible mills. Under 3 generations of Harwood family tutelage and direction, the Harwood company has flourished while many of its competitors have fallen by the wayside. From the beginning, however, Harwood had an advantage - a guiding principle. Its product was to be of the highest quality, the employees were to be treated like family and the forest was to be their friend. Harwood believes that a balance must be achieved with nature in order to reach and maintain a level of mutual sustainability. It is this continuing philosophy that guides the Harwood company in all of its decisions.

COMMUNITY

The Harwood logo is the lower case "h". It symbolizes the company's understanding of priorities. It shows the humble pride of a company and its commitment to its employees, the community and the environment. It is not uncommon for employees to soon think of themselves as part of the Harwood family. This explains the willingness of the Harwood employees to go the extra mile when needed to make sure the products meet the expected level of quality. There is pride in every piece of lumber produced at Harwood. This pride and commitment carries deeply into every fiber of the community. The Harwood family, as well as their employees, believe in the association between the sustainability of the forest and the wellness of a community.

To achieve this relationship between the forest and commerce, Harwood must consider environmental and social ramifications each time they take an action. To this end, Harwood reaches out to diverse groups and organizations, believing that the common goal of a healthy forest is a worthwhile goal. The Harwood mill's determination to contribute to a vibrant community allows them to work arm in arm with such groups and organizations as EarthFirst, Natural Resources Defense Council(NRDC), World WildLife Fund(WWF), Forest Stewardship Council(FSC), Habitat for Humanity, Sierra Club and Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies(CERES). Together people are greater than apart. Harwood is not afraid to better understand all points of view. Open doors allow people to learn and share diverse opinions with mutual interests. A willingness to listen and to share opposing views often leads to common ground.