Weyerhaeuser Marks 125 Years with Employee Celebration

Still guided by the values of its founder, Weyerhaeuser celebrates more than a century of leadership in the forest products industry.

On January 18, 1900, Frederick Weyerhaeuser and 15 associates purchased 900,000 acres of Washington state timberlands from the Northern Pacific Railway. In establishing their company, Frederick took a long-term view. “This is not for us,” he said, “nor for our children, but for our grandchildren.” Today, Weyerhaeuser stands as the largest private owner of timberlands in the U.S. and one of the largest wood products manufacturers in North America, but those words still serve as a reminder of the values upon which the company was built.

This year marks Weyerhaeuser’s 125th anniversary. The company celebrated the milestone with an employee celebration attended by more than 170 employees at the Mount Pisgah Arboretum.

Weyerhaeuser began operating in Oregon in 1902 and today owns or manages more than 300,000 acres of forestlands in Lane County. The company’s local facilities include a dimensional lumber mill in Cottage Grove, an engineered wood products mill in Eugene, a tree farm in Springfield and forestlands near Cottage Grove and along Highway 126. The company also recently awarded $14,000 to nonprofits in Springfield and Eugene with grants totaling nearly $73,000 – including $10,000 for Springfield Education Foundation and $10,000 for Food for Lane County.

“Working in Springfield, you really see how Weyerhaeuser’s long-term values show up in day-to-day operations. Whether it’s investing in safety, supporting local jobs or supporting our local community partners, there’s a real sense of pride in being part of something that’s built to last.”

– Dana Quartly, Southern Oregon Region Manager, Weyerhaeuser

Few companies have had as deep or as lasting an impact on the forest products industry as Weyerhaeuser. The company’s early interest in forest fire protection and sustainable forestry laid a foundation for many modern forest management practices and proved that growing, harvesting and replanting trees on a continuous cycle could be done broadly and permanently with the right stewardship. Later investments in research and development, combined with the company’s growing focus on safety – especially over the past 50 years – improved operational efficiencies across the supply chain and made working in the forest products sector safer for generations of loggers, machine operators and mill workers.

Today, the company manages 100 percent of its forests to internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards and produces wood products that support residential homes and other construction applications, as well as countless other products that are essential to everyday life. Weyerhaeuser even still owns and manages more than 400,000 acres of the original timberlands it acquired in 1900. Some of those timberlands are now on their third rotation, proving that the sustainable forestry practices the company pioneered and perfected over the past century work and can continue supporting the many benefits these forests provide for generations to come.

Weyerhaeuser 2025 community volunteering highlights
This year, Weyerhaeuser employees dedicated their time and energy to a wide range of community projects, reflecting our commitment to education, environmental stewardship, and local partnerships.

Education & Youth Engagement
• Douglas County School Forestry Tour (April 23–25): 11 employees guided students in forestry education.
• Employee-led grade school field trips: 2 trips introducing children to forestry and conservation.
• Classroom presentations – “My Green Future”: Employees inspired students with sustainability-focused lessons.
• Onrep OSU field trip & in-office day: Multiple employees supported hands-on learning experiences.
• Forests Today & Forever Summer Camp (June 24): 3 employees engaged youth in outdoor education.

Environmental & Community Projects
• City of Eugene Heritage Rose Garden (May 2): 7 employees helped maintain this historic public space.
• Eugene Science Center (May 16): 4 employees gardened and revitalized the grounds.
• City of Lowell Caboose Paint & Park Clean-Up (June 9): 13 employees revitalized community spaces.
• Cascade Raptor Center Fire Fuel Reduction (October 27): 8 employees assisted in wildfire prevention efforts.
• Forest Field Days: Multiple employees volunteered to connect students with forestry practices.

Ongoing & One-Off Contributions
• Numerous employees participated in one-off volunteer efforts across the region, strengthening ties with schools, nonprofits, and environmental organizations.

Impact Summary
Across 2025, Weyerhaeuser Western Timberlands employees contributed over 2,700 volunteer hours in education, conservation, and community improvement projects. From guiding students in forestry tours to restoring local parks and supporting wildfire prevention, our teams demonstrated the company’s values of stewardship, sustainability, and civic responsibility.