Redwood mills in California are in danger of disappearing because of a combination of strict forest laws and environmental regulations.
Only six mills are left in one of the traditional redwood areas, Humboldt County, from a total of 300 at the turn of the 20th century. Four large plants shut down last year.
The closures are against a background of increasing timber use in the US. One prediction is for wood products demand to go up 50% by 2020.
The California Forestry Association says US government environmental policies in the early 1990s resulted in almost all old growth California redwoods being placed in publicly-owned state and national park land. Now companies find it very difficult to secure harvesting plans.
But environmental voices blame the timber companies for their predicament, saying the mills were designed for large diameter old growth redwood and they cannot afford equipment to cut younger trees.
