47 Years of Environmental News Arcata, California Vol. 48, No. 3 Jun/Jul 2018 ECEC NEWSNEWS

Published by the Northcoast Environmental Center Since 1971 Celebrate Wild & Scenic Rivers

50th Anniversary of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act

G-O Road 30th Anniversary | Global Plastic Problem | Controversial Water Tax Bill Jordan Cove LNG Back Again | Carbon Neutral Biomass? | Kin to the Earth: Rob DiPerna

National Parks Centennial Celebration News From the Center

Larry Glass, Executive Director, special use permit. T is signifi cant with smoking. and Bella Waters, Admin & loophole could allow Mercer-Fraser to • SB 836 - State Development Director get a conditional use permit and begin Beaches Smoking Ban. An important issue we’ve been its hash lab activities on the Glendale Banning smoking on working on is making sure that the site without changing the zoning. Be state beaches will public is fully informed about the sure and let your supervisor know if reduce the massive planned cannabis chemical extraction you fi nd this to be an unacceptable amount of cigarette facilities (hash labs) by Mercer-Fraser threat to our drinking water! butt litter. In addition at Glendale, on the Mad River near With so many critical decisions to the fi nes imposed Blue Lake, and at Big Rock on the being made by the Board of by Senate Bill 836, Trinity River near Willow Creek. Supervisors, the June election has the NEC encouraged Despite the seemingly good news become a focus of concern. In light adequate funding of that Mercer-Fraser has withdrawn of that, the NEC participated in a personnel to be able to its plans for the Glendale operation community forum with the Humboldt enforce this and SB 835 and rezoning, we can’t stress enough supervisorial candidates. T is forum regulations. that this was a decision that provides can be seen on Access Humboldt. • SB 1335 - Sustainable Take- political cover for members of the To further educate the public, we Out Food Packaging for State Parks, Board of Supervisors, but does not published a Humboldt Supervisors Beaches, and Facilities. SB 1335 investigation into poaching activity by prevent Mercer-Fraser from bringing Candidate Questionnaire which can ensures that food packaging is made the license or permit holder. this issue back at any time. Some be found on our website or in the of sustainable materials and the used • On a national issue, the NEC members of the community predict previous issue of EcoNews. Be sure packaging is captured for recycling and submitted a letter during the public this will be the case right after the to exercise your responsibility as a composting at a rate of 75 percent or comment period calling for protection election cycle. We must remain citizen—vote on June 5. higher at our state parks and beaches. of the Arctic Refuge. vigilant. In addition to following local • AB 2369 - Preventing Poaching Our eff orts as the Northcoast To emphasize this point, it has elections, we’ve actively supported the in Marine Protected Areas. AB Environmental Center have continued been discovered that, buried in following recent state bills: 2369 would create more stringent to expand and aff ect a broad range of the Board of Supervisors’ recently • SB 835 - State Parks Smoking penalties for commercial and party issues here in Northwest California. passed “Cannabis 2.0” ordinance, Ban. Banning smoking in state boat poaching in marine protected Now with paid staff , solid programs, there is a section (55.4.8.2) that parks will help reduce the amount areas (MPAs), and prohibit a and a loyal membership, we plan to allows fl ammable and nonfl ammable of litter that’s aff ecting wildlife and fi shing license or permit from being expand and continue our work to extraction chemicals on land zoned watercourses and will also address transferred when enforcement action educate, protect, and advocate for our AG with a conditional use permit or public health concerns associated is being taken or there is an ongoing environment. Continued on page 20

Editor/Layout: Morgan Corviday EC NEWS [email protected] NEC Board Of Directors NEC Member Groups EC NEWS Proofreaders: Midge Brown, Kris Diamond, To contact NEC Board Members, Humboldt Baykeeper Sue Leskiw, Madeline Bauman, Bella Waters, please write to [email protected] Madison Peters. www.humboldtbaykeeper.org Sierra Club, North Group, 415 I Street, Arcata, CA 95521 Authors: Jennifer Kalt, Larry Glass, Bella President - Larry Glass, Safe Alternatives PO Box 4259, Arcata, CA 95518 for our Forest Environment Redwood Chapter Waters, Tom Wheeler, Dan Sealy, Anne Maher, www.redwood.sierraclub.org/north/ 707- 822-6918 Rebekah Staub, Madeline Bauman, Morgan Vice-President - Dan Sealy, At-Large www.yournec.org Corviday, Steve Evans, Hannah Sargent, Sue California Native Plant Society Leskiw, Adam Vera, Jemma Williams, Kristian Secretary - Jennifer Kalt, Humboldt North Coast Chapter Baykeeper www.northcoastcnps.org Salgado Redwood Region Audubon EcoNews is the of cial bi-monthly Cover Photo: The Wild and Scenic Smith River. Treasurer - Chris Jenican Beresford, At-Large Society publication of the Northcoast Photo: John Hyun, Flickr CC. www.rras.org Gary Falxa, Calfornia Native Plant Society Environmental Center (NEC), a Friends of the Eel River non-prof t organization. Third class CJ Ralph, Redwood Region Audubon Society www.eelriver.org postage paid in Arcata. ISSN No. NEC Staff Richard Kreis, Sierra Club, North Group Safe Alternatives for our Forest 0885-7237. EcoNews is mailed to Environment (SAFE) Executive Director: Alicia Hamann, Friends of the Eel River our members and distributed free Larry Glass, [email protected] www.safealt.org throughout the Northern California Briana Villalobos, Environmental Protection Environmental Protection Administrative & Development Director: Information Center and Southern Oregon bioregion. The Information Center (EPIC) Bella Waters, [email protected] www.wildcalifornia.org subscription rate is $50 per year. Bob Morris, Trinity County Representative, EcoNews Editor, Web Director: At-Large Morgan Corviday, [email protected] The ideas and views expressed Coastal Programs Coordinator: NEC Affiliate Members in EcoNews are not necessarily Madison Peters, [email protected] Humboldt Baykeeper those of the NEC. Of ce Support & Programs Coordinator: Friends of Del Norte Casey Cruischank , [email protected] Fiscally sponsored by the NEC www.fodn.org Director: Zero Waste Humboldt Of ce Assistant: Tiff any Perez, Jennifer Kalt, [email protected] www.zerowastehumboldt.org tiff [email protected] Bay Tours Coordinator: Californians for Alternatives to Toxics Bookkeeping Assistant: Anita Gilbride-Read, Jasmin Segura, [email protected] www.alt2tox.org volunteer Get your tickets early for the NEC’s Check out our In This Issue VolunteerVolunteer SpotlightSpotlight Summer Slough Social on page 19 4 Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Anniversary Saturday, August 26 5 Saga of the G-O Road, 30 Years Later See Ad on back page for more info 6 Pruitt Says Biomass Carbon Neutral Interested in serving on 7 The Global Plastics Problem the NEC Board of Directors? 8 Controversial Water Tax Bill See the ad on the back page The NEC is potentially looking to add a couple of for more information Welcome the NEC’s 9 Forest Carbon Plan: Excuse for Logging Newest Staf Members at-large board members. Desirable attributes 10 Where are They Now: Jemma Williams include financial and/or legal expertise. Of ce Support 10 Jordan Cove LNG Back Again & Programs Please email resume and letter of interest to 11 Kin to the Earth: Rob DiPerna Coordinator board president Larry Glass 12 Eye on Washington Casey Cruikshank [email protected] 13 Get to Know the Players: Part Three is very excited to be part of the NEC 14 Zero Waste Humboldt team! She graduated Help us provide timely local 15 Humboldt Baykeeper from Humboldt State 16 EPIC University with a degree in Recreation environmental reporting! 17 Sierra Club, North Group Administration and Support our new environmental 18 California Native Plant Society an emphasis in Eco- journalist by making a Tourism. She is an donation to the NEC 21 Creature Feature: Dragons or Damsels avid scuba diver and earmarked “Journalist” today! 22 Kids’ Page: River Critters her life has revolved around the ocean and its inhabitants for as long as she can remember. The NEC has a new website! She has over 70 houseplants and absolutely loves Thanks to the generous support of our tech gardening. A lot of her spare time is spent working donors, the NEC has a new mobile- and user- on her NorCal Beach Clean project. She loves Humboldt and feels it is a dream come true to be friendly website! Check it out at working with a group of people who dedicate their www.yournec.org Bouquet of wildfl owers to lives to understanding, conserving, and protecting Anne Maher, the NEC’s former our local ecosystems. Programs Coordinator, for her dedication, Printing on Paper enthusiasm, and organization during her Environmental time with the Northcoast Environmental Journalist is Expensive Center. We wish Anne the best for her new Hannah Sargent is Print costs for EcoNews have gone up due to adventures in Washington! a recent graduate the Trump administration’s increased tarif s Thank you to the 9th Street Committee from Humboldt State on Canadian newsprint—negatively af ecting (Jen Kalt, Larry Glass & Bob Morris) for University with a B.A. newspapers across the country. Help us their work on securing a Site Cleanup Subaccount Program (SCAP) grant to in Anthropology and keep EcoNews in print by making a donation continue the cleanup. a minor in Journalism. earmarked “EcoNews” today! Originally from the San Bouquet of daisies to HumBots707 for Francisco Bay Area, our awesome new website! she came to Arcata for Letter to the Editor Bouquets to the Garden Gate for hosting school and has since NEC and supplying the wine during May’s fallen in love with Letters should be 300 Arts Arcata! the local ecology and words or less, be relevant to Bouquets to Pacif c Outf tters for EcoNews readers and material hosting NEC during June & July’s Arts Arcata! the strong sense of covered in EcoNews, and must community togetherness. With a lifelong passion include the writer’s address Bouquet to Zack at the Arcata Post for the outdoors and a desire to connect members of and phone number. Of ce for making our bulk mailing process the community to environmental issues, Hannah is Letters may be edited and simple and pleasant. eager to utilize her journalism background to bring shortened for space. The NEC reserves the right to Bouquets to all the birders and their these important topics to light in a way that makes reject any submitted material for any reason (e.g., donors who helped make the Fourth Annual size, content, writing style, etc.). them accessible to the public. She looks forward to Tim McKay Memorial Birdathon a success! this opportunity to combine her love for people and Send to [email protected]. the environment in order to help foster a greater Read the Letter to the Editor on page 20 understanding of the connection between the two.

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 2

Rotating hosts talk with a variety of experts and guests on a range of topics Past shows are archived on our website for download or streaming US House of Representatives: Rep. Jared Huf man Help us protect the North Coast WeWewww.hu NeedNeedff man.house.gov/ You!You! most successful. Coastal Cleanup Day provides many Washington D.C. Of ce Your support is essential as the Trump 1406 Longworth House Offi ce Building Administration attempts to dismantle protections for local supporters, including many families, with an Washington, D.C. 20515 our public lands and natural resources. By standing opportunity to improve our coastal environment. Phone: 202-225-5161 in resistance to this assault, California has become Mark your calendars to participate on September 15. InvestFax: 202-225-5163 a focus of vengeful tactics by the Administration. T is yearly eff ort would not be possible without your T is has made our North Coast a target for new continued help! Eureka District Of ce environmental abuses, including potential off shore • Providing Opportunities for the Next Generation 317 Third St., Suite 1 drilling, increased logging, reduced fl ows for Klamath in Eureka,the CA 95501 Future of Environmental Leaders: T anks to HSU’s work- Phone: 707-407-3585 River salmon and other water grabs, weakened water study program, a gift of $1,000 translates to at least Fax: 707-407-3559 and air protections, environmentally unsound road $3,000 on the ground, enough to support one of our projects, and reckless use of chemicals. T e NEC is fantastic work-study students for a semester. T anks US Senate your local environmental grassroots organization. to a generous donation of $1,000 specifi cally for this We continue to be vigilant for these and other threats, program, we were able to employ one of our work- Senator Diane Feinstein and are ready to respond. With you and hundreds study students for a year. Also, for a seventh year, www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/ of loyal NEC members standing with our member HSU students are working with our D.C. legislative groups and fellow activists, we are well positioned to Washington, D.C. Of ce analyst for a virtual “On the Hill” Washington 331 Hart Senate Offi ce Building take on this challenge. experience tracking important Congressional actions. Washington, D.C. 20510 It’s our hope that these young people will be our future Here’s an overview of our tasks at hand: conservation leaders—your support will allow these Phone: 202-224-3841 opportunities to continue. Fax: -202-228-3954 • Continued Engagement on Cannabis Issues in TTY/TDD: 202-224-2501 Northwest California: With full legalization now • Educating North Coast Communities: We continue in eff ect, we’re encouraging strong enforcement to keep our community informed and engaged on San Francisco District Of ce of environmental regulations on private lands, environmental and conservation issues through our BecomeOne Post Street a Member, with an emphasis on enforcement of grows that bi-monthly publication EcoNews, now in its 48th Suite 2450 are not permitted under Humboldt and Trinity year. We also continue to coordinate the EcoNews San Francisco, CA 94104 Counties’ cannabis ordinances. We continue to call Report, the longest-running public aff airs radio show Donate,Phone: 415-393-0707 Volunteer, for the complete eradication of trespass grows on on KHSU, which delivers timely environmental news Fax: 415-393-0710 public lands. over the air and via streaming every week. Tune in • Hash Labs on the Rivers: We’ve been sounding T ursdays at 1:30 p.m. to KHSU 90.5 FM (or one of its or joinSenator our Kamala Monthly Harris other regional translators), or visit our website to hear www.harris.senate.gov/ the alarm over the planned cannabis chemical extraction facilities (hash labs) by Mercer-Fraser at previous shows! GivingWashington ProgramD.C. Of ce Glendale (on the Mad River near Blue Lake) and at • Congressman Jared Huff man’s Northern California 112 Hart Senate Offi ce Building Big Rock on the Trinity River near Willow Creek. Conservation and Recreation Act: We have been Washington, D.C. 20510 Despite Mercer-Fraser’s suspicious withdrawal of its working on this bill for fi ve years and it is now poised Phone 202-224-3553 planned Glendale operation and rezoning, we must for introduction! Check our website for the latest Fax 202-224-2200 continue to remain vigilant—we believe this project updates on this very important bill. San Francisco Of ce may be resurrected, and there may be other poorly Help us confront increased conservation threats 50 United Nations Plaza sited projects proposed. and build an ecologically sound future by making a Suite 5584 • In the April/ donation or becoming an NEC member today! Or, by San Francisco, CA 94102 Informative Candidate Questionnaire: May edition of EcoNews, we published the results of becoming a Sustaining Member (committing to donate Phone: 415-355 - 9041 monthly), you can help solidify NEC’s fi nancial base Fax: 202-224 - 0454 our Board of Supervisors Candidate Questionnaire. Be sure to check out the answers before you vote on and our ability to engage with upcoming projects that June 5. We also participated in the May 10 community will require our attention. Secretary of the Interior Candidate Forum at the Labor Temple. Also, consider a donation to support environmental Of ce of the Secretary, Ryan Zinke • Technology Update: Our new user- and mobile- Cinema Nights. T e NEC plans to reignite our Department of the Interior friendly website is up and running, thanks to those well-attended movie evenings, where friends of the 1849 C Street, N.W. who donated specifi cally to our tech appeal! T e environment can be inspired, socialize, and participate Washington, D.C. 20240 website features a news feed that will have the latest in post-movie discussions. Our initial goal is to raise Phone: 202-208-3100 environmental news of interest to North Coast $750 to host the kickoff event this fall. You can support Secretary of Agriculture residents. Be sure to visit www.yournec.org and give this eff ort by including an additional contribution us your feedback. earmarked for “Cinema Night.” ForSonny more Perdue information, Secretary of Agriculture. • 4th Annual Tim McKay Memorial Birdathon: We On behalf of the board and staff of the NEC, we thank call theU.S. Department NEC at of 707-822-6918Agriculture just fi nished another successful Birdathon fundraiser you in advance for your commitment to this special 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. in collaboration with Redwood Region Audubon region and all of its inhabitants. or emailWashington, [email protected] D.C. 20250 Society. T anks to all who participated! Larry Glass, NEC Executive Director and • Planning for the NEC’s 39th Annual Coastal Board President, and the Board of Directors:

Take action and make your voice heard! call your representatives today! representatives heard! call your voice and make your action Take More contacts at yournec.org Cleanup Day: NEC founded this event in 1979. We Dan Sealy, Bob Morris, Jennifer Kalt, CJ Ralph, Gary www.yournec.org/donate had a great volunteer turnout for the 2017 event with Falxa, Chris Beresford, Alicia Hamann, Richard Kreis, many hundreds of participants, making it one of our and Briana Villalobos.

3 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews 3 Fifty Years Of Saving Rivers: National Wild & Scenic RIvers Act

Steve Evans rivers. Federal designation of the Middle Fork should be added to the system. T e Forest Service, Friends of the River Feather, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers blocked Bureau of Land Management, and other federal land T e National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act destructive dam projects. Alarmed by the impact management agencies are also required to assess the celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018. Congress of dams constructed on the upper Trinity and Eel Wild and Scenic River potential of streams fl owing passed and President Lyndon Johnson signed the Rivers on salmon and steelhead populations, the through public lands as part of the agency’s land and Act on October 2, 1968, creating the National Wild California Legislature established the state wild resource planning process. Federal agencies have & Scenic Rivers System. T e law was specifi cally and scenic rivers system in 1972 to block huge new identifi ed more than 4,200 miles of rivers and streams intended to balance the nation’s existing eligible for federal protection through policy of building dams on rivers to develop this process. their water supply, fl ood control, and National Wild and Scenic Rivers in hydroelectric potential, with a new policy California include large rivers like the to ensure that some rivers with outstanding Klamath in northwestern California and tiny values are protected for the benefi t and seasonal streams, such as Bautista Creek in enjoyment of the people. One of the fi rst southern California. Many of California’s six rivers protected by the 1968 law was the rivers and streams in the federal and state Middle Fork Feather River in California. system were protected in direct response to Today, this 77-mile river remains one of the proposals to build river-destroying dams. wildest waterways in the state. Others were protected simply because T is 50-year-old law is the nation’s they possessed unique natural and cultural primary river conservation tool. New dams resources that deserved special recognition and diversions are prohibited on protected and protective management. Many rivers rivers. It requires that federal agencies and streams have been designated to manage federal public lands along the rivers protect threatened and endangered salmon, to protect their free-fl owing character steelhead, and other native fi sh. Others were and specifi c outstanding recreation, designated for their outstanding whitewater scenic, fi sh, wildlife, geological, cultural/ recreation opportunities. Some have been historical, and other values. T is may be protected because of their outstanding accomplished through the development of prehistoric and Native American cultural a comprehensive river management plan values. T e protected rivers in California three years after designation. Designated represent a diverse range of large and small rivers are also managed as wild, scenic, or waterways possessing a wide range of recreational, based on the level of existing outstanding natural and cultural values. development at time of designation. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the T e National System protects 12,734 National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the miles (or less than one percent) of the 3.6 California Wilderness Coalition (CalWild) million miles of rivers and streams nationwide. has initiated the Wild Rivers Project, with In California, there are about 2,021 miles of the goal of growing the federal and state California rivers and streams protected in the wild and scenic river systems in California National System, or about two percent of the to 6,000 miles by the 60th anniversary of 94,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state. the Act. CalWild and its allies have been About 1,274 miles of California rivers enjoy involved in the protection of virtually every overlapping federal and state protection. National Wild and Scenic River in California T ere are another 125 miles of rivers in The Wild and Scenic Trinity River. Photo: Sam Camp. since 1984. California that are only protected by the State. Many of the combined wild river and Both the federal and state Wild and Scenic River water supply dams on the remaining undammed wilderness bills protecting public lands in California Systems were established in reaction to our nation’s segments of the Klamath, Trinity, and Eel Rivers. In were developed and lobbied for by CalWild and aggressive policy of dam development. Although 1981, Governor Jerry Brown and Interior Secretary our local, regional, and national allies. T ese dams provide many benefi ts, they also drown river Cecil Andrus used a provision of the federal act that ongoing coalition eff orts are responsible for at canyons and habitat, modify downstream fl ows, allows state rivers to be added to the federal system least three bills currently pending before Congress block fi sh migration, and degrade water quality. T ere without Congressional approval to add segments of to protect 227 miles of Wild & Scenic Rivers are an estimated 84,000 dams in the United States, the Smith, Klamath, Trinity, and Eel Rivers to the and 649,000 acres of wilderness in the California impounding 600,000 miles of rivers. California alone federal system. T is killed the long-proposed Dos Desert, San Gabriel Mountains, and the Central has more than 1,400 dams on its rivers and streams. Rios dam project on the Eel River, which would have Coast. In addition, we anticipate that legislation T e Wild and Scenic River System ensures that at diverted much of the river to the Central Valley for will soon be introduced to protect additional least some free-fl owing rivers and streams with agricultural use. wilderness and 480 miles of wild and scenic rivers in outstanding and extraordinary values are protected Rivers are primarily protected in the national northwestern California. for present and future generations. system through legislation passed by Congress. To learn more about CalWild’s Wild Rivers Proposed new water supply and hydroelectric Congress may direct federal agencies to study and Project, visit www.calwild.org or contact Steve Evans dams prompted protection eff orts for various make recommendations as to whether specifi c rivers at [email protected].

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 4 4 Saga of the G-O Road, 30 Years Later State Grant Awarded Pruitt Declares Biomass Carbon Supervisors Show to Clean Up NEC’s Anne Maher Neutral, in Contrast to Facts Unanimous Support Deep in the Siskiyou Wilderness between Gasquet 9th Street Parcel Tom Wheeler for Climate Change and Orleans, a lost highway EPIC Jennifer Kalt, lies abandoned and In a world no longer Humboldt Baykeeper Amendment unfi nished. It winds through constrained by facts, Scott rough and rocky country, In April, the State Water Resources Control Board Pruitt is king. On April 23, 2018, Hannah Sargent rolling hills, and leaning approved a grant from its Site Cleanup Subaccount Scott Pruitt, Administrator of On May 15, the Humboldt County Board of pines, where fi re, snow, and Program to fully remediate the NEC’s Ninth Street the Environmental Protection Supervisors voted unanimously to pass an amendment rain rotate with the seasons. parcel, which has been vacant since 2001. Funding in the Agency (EPA), declared that to the State and Federal Legislative Platform that T is incomplete stretch of amount of $607,714 will be available to fully remediate all biomass is carbon neutral. would allow the county to more effi ciently advocate for pavement, known as the the site, which is now one of the few undeveloped Pruitt’s sweeping declaration climate change issues. G-O Road, has had lasting parcels near the Arcata Plaza. SHN Geologists & is not just inaccurate, but it Each year the Board adopts a legislative platform, and international impacts Engineers, Inc. of Eureka will continue to lead the will also help further subsidize which outlines the particular issues that the county will that still echo today, 30 years cleanup eff orts, with oversight by a subcommittee of timber industry practices at be advocating for that year. T ird District Supervisor since its resolution. the NEC Board of Directors. the expense of our climate and Mike Wilson recently proposed this amendment to the T is long story begins T e grant program was established by the state our wallets. platform so that it would more directly address issues in 1963, when the U.S. legislature in 2014 to clean up contaminated sites The G-O Road winds its way into the high Siskiyous near Peak 8 and Doctor Rock. Photo: Pruitt’s logic is simple related to climate change in Humboldt County, thereby Forest Service fi rst began Michael Kauff man. where those responsible for the contamination but fl awed. Trees sequester eliminating the need for new climate change projects planning the construction cannot be held accountable. In the NEC’s case, the Forest slash from logging operations is a primary source of biomass for energy carbon as they grow. Although production. Photo: Oregon Department of Forestry, Flickr CC. to go through the Board each and every time. of the G-O Road. Anticipated to run from Gasquet practices” and pointed out the cultural confl ict source of contamination was a dry cleaning business burning these trees releases T e amendment will specifi cally add the topics to Orleans, the 55-mile paved highway would have between forest management and native spiritual formerly located on the property, the owners of which carbon, more trees will grow in their place, thereby energy. (T e biomass facility in Scotia is one example of “climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and allowed for timber harvesting, mining, and other practices. In 1981, sections of the high country are deceased. Although current property owners are off setting what carbon was emitted. T e truth, of this type.) promoting carbon reduction and resiliency to climate scheduled resource extraction in the area, which at land was deemed eligible for the National Register often responsible for such cleanups, eligibility for however, is more complicated. Some biomass plants also require that the fuel change” to the current legislative platform, according the time was a part of Six Rivers National Forest. of Historic Places, causing the national Advisory Site Cleanup Subaccount Program funds requires First, if forests are burned faster than they grow, be in a more refi ned state—like a pellet or a chip. to a memo attached to Tuesday’s meeting agenda. T e T e region was (and is) ecologically rich, containing Council on Historic Preservation to also recommend evidence of inability to pay for the cleanup. then not only is biomass not carbon neutral, it is also Pelletization can increase the energy density of the Board of Supervisors has already shown their support rare, endangered, and endemic species, old growth against building the road. In 1982, the Northcoast Environmental Center helping to accelerate deforestation. But even if we accept biomass. T is processing (also carbon intensive) is for these issues by adopting the Updated General Plan forest, and diverse conifers. At the time, it remained Despite that, a fi nal Environmental Impact moved to 879 9th Street in Arcata. T e property was Pruitt’s basic premise—a one-for-one trade—Pruitt’s often required to ship biomass across a long distance. in October 2017, which includes very similar climate as one of the few remaining refuges for wolverines, Statement (EIS) was issued by the Forest Service in 1982, later donated to the NEC by several board members logic doesn’t capture all of the carbon accounting. By declaring biomass defacto carbon neutral, change goals for Humboldt County. mountain lions, pine martins, and several rare birds. supporting logging and construction of the highway. who had purchased the site. In 2001, a fi re (that Logging itself emits carbon, from the logging Pruitt’s announcement allows for greater subsidies With the passing of this amendment, the legislative T e land is also sacred; the high country had been Chris Peters, President and CEO of the Seventh began on a neighboring property) destroyed the NEC trucks, to burning slash piles, to a loss of carbon in for biomass power plants. With these subsidies, the platform will be better aligned with the existing used for religious ceremonies for millennia and was Generation Fund and Vice Chair of the Parliament headquarters, along with both adjacent buildings. the soil. Logging emits so much carbon that clearcut transportation distance can increase dramatically, environmental goals laid out in the County General cherished by the Karuk, Tolowa, and Yurok tribes. of the World’s Religions, was a plaintiff in the G-O After the fi re, plans to rebuild were thwarted by the forests continue to “leak” more carbon than they because if a power plant can pay more for fuel, Plan and will give the Board of Supervisors the ability T e resulting push-back to this plan went on Road case and was interviewed by the NEC for the discovery of perchloroethylene, a toxic chemical used store 30 years after harvest. biomass can be shipped from further and further to advocate directly for these issues in the future. for over 25 years. Local tribes and environmental April 26 EcoNews Report. “What was wrapped by a dry cleaning business on the site until sometime Transportation of the fuel also plays an distances. T e timber industry is rightly thrilled, and T e amendment also garnered support from groups rallied against the proposed timber harvest in the G-O Road was probably the fi nal phase of in the 1980s. Perchloroethylene (also known as “perc” important role in the carbon budgeting. Biomass it should be—the industry paid Pruitt’s former chief local environmental organizations and community and resource extraction, and the NO-GO Road cultural and spiritual genocide, and it was being or PCE) is a persistent contaminant that is often does not have a high “energy density,” meaning that of staff and another lobbyist who served with Pruitt members, some of whom spoke in favor of its campaign began. perpetrated by the federal government,” states Peters diffi cult and expensive to remediate, since its density the amount of energy per pound is low, compared to in the Oklahoma Senate top dollar to lobby him passage at Tuesday’s Board meeting. “Adopting these In response to the controversy, the Forest in the Report. “What grew out of that was more of causes it to sink into groundwater. During the tenure other comparable fuels like coal. Without subsidies, for this change. Increasing biomass use increases amendments would expedite the county’s ability to Service hired T eodoratus Cultural Research, an an identify movement.” of the business, this chemical leaked into the soil below, biomass is diffi cult to pull off because the “fuel” demand for its product: former trees. advocate for legislation to bring about the changes we anthropological consulting fi rm, to report on the Several court battles ensued (in which the NEC leaving the subsequent landowner—the NEC—to do source (i.e., a forest) needs to be within a short Biomass may be appropriate in certain need to see to avert the worst of global climate change,” potential cultural impacts of building such a road served as a co-plaintiff ), including a 1983 District the cleanup. distance of the biomass facility—a general rule of circumstances—unlike solar or wind, energy asserted Mary Sanger, a representative from the climate and permitting logging in the high country. T e Court Case and 1986 Appellate Court Decision; T e NEC had been given approval to “cap-and- thumb is that a biomass plant in California needs from biomass can be delivered regardless of the action group 350 Humboldt. T eodoratus Report of 1979 supported the claim both of which ruled against the development. In build,” which would have entombed the soil under a to source from within 50 miles of the site. T us, weather and so could be a useful component in a “Global climate change is the most important issue that the road was “potentially destructive of the 1988 the case was eventually brought all the way cement slab, allowing the property to be sold “as-is” for many biomass plants are seated next to a lumber localized renewable power strategy, such as that facing us today,” Sanger commented. “Our response very core of Northwest [Indian] religious beliefs and to the U.S. Supreme... Continued on page 10 the next owner to legally... Continued on page 20 mill, where “waste” from the mill can be burned for being pursued by the... Continued on page 19 needs to be of the highest priority.”

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5 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews

Hannah Sargent T e Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, along with representatives from other invested Pruitt Declares Biomass Carbon Supervisors Show Neutral, in Contrast to Facts Unanimous Support Tom Wheeler for Climate Change EPIC In a world no longer Amendment constrained by facts, Scott Pruitt is king. On April 23, 2018, Hannah Sargent Scott Pruitt, Administrator of On May 15, the Humboldt County Board of the Environmental Protection Supervisors voted unanimously to pass an amendment Agency (EPA), declared that to the State and Federal Legislative Platform that all biomass is carbon neutral. would allow the county to more effi ciently advocate for Pruitt’s sweeping declaration climate change issues. is not just inaccurate, but it Each year the Board adopts a legislative platform, will also help further subsidize which outlines the particular issues that the county will timber industry practices at be advocating for that year. T ird District Supervisor the expense of our climate and Mike Wilson recently proposed this amendment to the our wallets. platform so that it would more directly address issues Pruitt’s logic is simple related to climate change in Humboldt County, thereby but fl awed. Trees sequester eliminating the need for new climate change projects Forest slash from logging operations is a primary source of biomass for energy carbon as they grow. Although production. Photo: Oregon Department of Forestry, Flickr CC. to go through the Board each and every time. burning these trees releases T e amendment will specifi cally add the topics carbon, more trees will grow in their place, thereby energy. (T e biomass facility in Scotia is one example of “climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and off setting what carbon was emitted. T e truth, of this type.) promoting carbon reduction and resiliency to climate however, is more complicated. Some biomass plants also require that the fuel change” to the current legislative platform, according First, if forests are burned faster than they grow, be in a more refi ned state—like a pellet or a chip. to a memo attached to Tuesday’s meeting agenda. T e then not only is biomass not carbon neutral, it is also Pelletization can increase the energy density of the Board of Supervisors has already shown their support helping to accelerate deforestation. But even if we accept biomass. T is processing (also carbon intensive) is for these issues by adopting the Updated General Plan Pruitt’s basic premise—a one-for-one trade—Pruitt’s often required to ship biomass across a long distance. in October 2017, which includes very similar climate logic doesn’t capture all of the carbon accounting. By declaring biomass defacto carbon neutral, change goals for Humboldt County. Logging itself emits carbon, from the logging Pruitt’s announcement allows for greater subsidies With the passing of this amendment, the legislative trucks, to burning slash piles, to a loss of carbon in for biomass power plants. With these subsidies, the platform will be better aligned with the existing the soil. Logging emits so much carbon that clearcut transportation distance can increase dramatically, environmental goals laid out in the County General forests continue to “leak” more carbon than they because if a power plant can pay more for fuel, Plan and will give the Board of Supervisors the ability store 30 years after harvest. biomass can be shipped from further and further to advocate directly for these issues in the future. Transportation of the fuel also plays an distances. T e timber industry is rightly thrilled, and T e amendment also garnered support from important role in the carbon budgeting. Biomass it should be—the industry paid Pruitt’s former chief local environmental organizations and community does not have a high “energy density,” meaning that of staff and another lobbyist who served with Pruitt members, some of whom spoke in favor of its the amount of energy per pound is low, compared to in the Oklahoma Senate top dollar to lobby him passage at Tuesday’s Board meeting. “Adopting these other comparable fuels like coal. Without subsidies, for this change. Increasing biomass use increases amendments would expedite the county’s ability to biomass is diffi cult to pull off because the “fuel” demand for its product: former trees. advocate for legislation to bring about the changes we source (i.e., a forest) needs to be within a short Biomass may be appropriate in certain need to see to avert the worst of global climate change,” distance of the biomass facility—a general rule of circumstances—unlike solar or wind, energy asserted Mary Sanger, a representative from the climate thumb is that a biomass plant in California needs from biomass can be delivered regardless of the action group 350 Humboldt. to source from within 50 miles of the site. T us, weather and so could be a useful component in a “Global climate change is the most important issue many biomass plants are seated next to a lumber localized renewable power strategy, such as that facing us today,” Sanger commented. “Our response mill, where “waste” from the mill can be burned for being pursued by the... Continued on page 19 needs to be of the highest priority.”

Science and Nature Summer Camps Week long, half Day 9a.m. to 1p.m for kids Ages 8-12 Sustainability Soil Sleuths July 16 - 20 Science Heroes: Careers of the Future July 23 - 27 For more info, call 707-826-4479 www.humboldt.edu/natmus

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 6 Supervisors Plastic Pollution a Pervasive Problem Weigh in on Madeline Bauman and Morgan Corviday Plastics, due to their moldability, strength, and Controversial durability, are useful for a wide variety of uses and have become ubiquitous in modern life. However, these characteristics are also why plastics are pervasively Water Tax Bill problematic for the environment. New research indicates that the problem of Hannah Sargent marine plastic pollution is far greater than previously T e Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, thought. A prior estimate of fi ve trillion pieces of along with representatives from local water agencies, plastic in the world’s oceans is now considered to be weighed in on a controversial “water tax” bill in their grossly underestimated. May 15 meeting. Senate Bill 623, commonly referred Plastics found on beaches worldwide and the to as the “drinking water tax” bill, aims to establish a fi ve large fl oating garbage patches (including the statewide Safe and Aff ordable Drinking Water Fund well-known Great Pacifi c Garbage Patch, roughly the that would provide disadvantaged communities in size of Texas), show us only what’s on the surface, Plastic pollution. Photo: NOAA Marine Debris Program, Flickr CC. California with access to clean drinking water by however. It’s estimated that by 2050 there will be creating a tax on water for individual households and more plastic per pound than fi sh in the oceans. Last other synthetic fabrics, and macerated solid waste, like businesses across the state. year, microplastics were found in sediments and the shredded tires. During the May meeting, the Board of stomachs of deep sea creatures in the bottom of the Because of their small, ingestible size, microplastics Supervisors opened this topic up for discussion Mariana Trench, proving that plastic pollution has in water are easily confused with zooplankton and and important points were raised about both the contaminated even the deepest parts of the ocean. are consumed by sea life. T e plastics then move positives and the negatives of this bill. T is initial Plastics never completely biodegrade like organic up the food chain as smaller prey are consumed by discussion made it clear that this is an extremely products do—they break down into smaller pieces larger predators. Birds and other sea life also mistake complex issue with strong opinions on both sides. of plastic, which is not better with regard to marine plastics for food, and then die from starvation with T ird District Supervisor Mike Wilson began systems. Microplastics are defi ned as plastic pieces plastic-fi lled stomachs. Microplastics are also being the conversation by giving meeting attendees some less than 5mm in size. T ese sinister pieces of plastic consumed by humans from eating seafood. background on the issue and explaining some of the degrade from larger pieces due to sunlight and UV A disturbing statistic by the New York Times in complications inherent in the bill. He drew attention radiation (a process known as photodegradation), wave 2011 states that “About 300 million tons of plastic is to the vague nature of some of the bill’s goals and pressure, or biological activity. In addition to degrading produced globally each year. Only about 10 percent strategies, including the fact that there are no agreed from larger pieces of plastic, microplastic pollution also of that is recycled. Of the plastic that is simply upon standards for what is “aff ordable” in terms of water comes from microbeads (tiny plastic beads in hygiene trashed, an estimated seven million tons ends up in or what constitutes a “disadvantaged” community. products such as body wash and toothpaste), industrial the sea each year.” Other estimates indicate that only So far this water tax bill has been widely supported materials such as plastic pellets, fi bers from fl eece and fi ve percent of the world’s plastics are recycled. by the agriculture and dairy industries, but has Only a few types of plastics are easily recyclable. garnered signifi cant opposition from water agencies, In order to recycle plastic responsibly, it’s important environmental organizations, and individuals across to check the number inside the recycling symbol to the state. Reasons for this opposition range from ensure that your local recycling facilities accepts that ecological concerns to philosophical ones. One of the particular type of plastic. Too many non-recyclable major concerns raised by environmental groups is or contaminated items in a bale can cause it to be that this bill would potentially cut back on the current rejected and sent to the landfi ll. environmental regulations and water quality standards T e problem is further complicated by a recent imposed on agriculture and dairy businesses. policy change regarding the shipment of plastics According to clean water advocates at the and other recyclables to China for processing. Once California Coastkeeper Alliance, who oppose the bill, the destination of much of the world’s recycling, as SB 623 in its current state would “create a pay-to- of January 1, 2018, China has banned the imports pollute scheme,” allowing these industries to continue of some types of recycling, including plastics, and polluting practices as long as they contribute to the implemented strict contamination standards for Safe and Aff ordable Drinking Water Fund. others—standards that even cities that stand out T e Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District as recycling leaders, like San Francisco, cannot yet also opposes the bill, stating that although they meet. As a result, bales of recycling are piling up on support the idea of providing access to safe drinking storage lots or even ending up in landfi lls in some water to all Californians, this is not the right way to areas across Europe and the U.S. due to the lack of do it. T ey are one of many organizations holding enough alternate processing destinations. the position that the common goal of providing Recycling should be considered a last resort when access to safe and aff ordable water can be attained it comes to plastics. First, refuse to use plastic! Second, through other means, and that we should seek out reuse it as much as possible. Check our website at other options besides taxing our drinking water. www.yournec.org for info on upcoming Plastic Free T e Association of California Water Agencies has July and Coastal Cleanup Day in September! been a leading fi gure... Continued on page 20

7 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews 7 Forest Carbon Arcata Marsh Book Release June 8

Plan: Increased Sue Leskiw River otters, frogs, ducks, and falcons: Northern Logging Disguised California’s Arcata Marsh teems with life. T is idyllic habitat helps to fi lters sewage. It exists because of a citizen uprising against high-tech, energy-intensive as “Science” sewage treatment systems mandated in the early years of the Clean Water Act. Powered by sun and wind, Tom Wheeler Arcata’s pioneering project has inspired treatment EPIC wetlands worldwide, from Arizona to Saipan. Governor Brown released his long-awaited Local science writer Sharon Levy penned “T e “Forest Carbon Plan.” I’ll be blunt: the Plan is timber Marsh Builders: T e Fight for Clean Water, Wetlands, industry advocacy disguised as “science.” and Wildlife.” Published by Oxford University Press, T e plan focuses almost exclusively on greenhouse the book delves into the global roots of Arcata’s gas emissions from fi re. Fire does emit greenhouse quirky story, as well as lessons for modern activists gases, of course, but this is a smokescreen for the larger and regulators. agenda: cut down more trees. T e Plan states that After a book release party at the Arcata California needs to increase logging to both reduce Community Center on Friday, June 8 at 5 p.m., the fi re risk and to move carbon from trees to “long- Sharon, a Friends of the Arcata Marsh (FOAM) lived forest products.” To be specifi c, Governor Brown tour leader since 1994, will collaborate with session is calling for doubling the land actively managed from panelists on a special 2-hour Marsh tour on Saturday, 250,000 acres to 500,000 acres per year. T at means June 9, starting at 2 p.m. T e free tour departs from logging an area the size of Napa County per year. the Interpretive Center, located at 569 South G Street. T e Forest Carbon Plan almost completely Sharon’s writing focuses on ecology and Cropped image from the cover of Sharon Levy’s new book about the history of the Arcata Marsh. ignores research that fi nds that California’s in-forest conservation. Her work has appeared in Undark, carbon stocks on private land are decreasing because BioScience, Nature, and other magazines, covering restoration, the evolution of sewage treatment, the of logging. Our forests have turned from net carbon everything from the impact of climate change on the long political and scientifi c struggle for clean water in sequesters to net emitters, losing more carbon per cholera bacterium, to the causes of the mastodon’s the United States, and impacts of water pollution on year than they take in. In 2013, the California Air extinction. She is also the author of “Once and Future wildlife and using treatment wetlands as habitat. T e Resources Board commissioned a study that found Giants: What Ice Age Extinctions Can Tell Us About book will appeal to readers interested in the history of that between 2001 and 2008, California’s forests lost the Fate of Earth’s Largest Animals,” published by science and the environment, as well as the ongoing 100 million metric tons of carbon, or approximately Oxford in 2011. struggle to reclaim polluted waters. 14 million metric tons per year. Another study by “T e Marsh Builders” goes beyond the creation of T is year also marks 25 years since the dedication researchers at the University of California Berkeley the Arcata Marsh to discuss why wetland destruction of the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center. Join FOAM in 2015 reached similar conclusions, fi nding that loss was long seen as a triumph and obstacle to marsh and the City of Arcata on June 8 and 9 to celebrate! of above-ground in-forest carbon stores amounted to fi ve to seven percent of the state’s cumulative carbon emissions. Along the same vein, Oregon State University researchers found that the timber industry is the largest carbon emitter in the State of Oregon. California’s forests can do better—and, by law, must do better. In 2010, the California Legislature declared that California’s forests must play a larger role for the state to meet its carbon emission targets. AB 1504 directed the Board of Forestry to devise new rules to force timber companies to go beyond the “status quo” and increase in-forest carbon Continued on page XX sequestration. Eight years later, the Board of Forestry has not issued any new rules. Instead, the Board has commissioned studies with the intent to prove that existing rules—which allow for large clearcuts and do not restrict the logging of large trees and high- Adopt-a-Beach carbon forests—are already best practices. T e most Be a part of our growing team of site captains recent study commissioned by the Board of Forestry and volunteers helping to keep our coast clean! found, contrary to other peer-reviewed science, that California’s forests are sequestering signifi cant Visit our website for more information amounts of carbon. and a list of available sites. Governor Brown has a reputation as a climate champion, so why would he sell out forests? Governor www.yournec.org/adoptabeach 707-822-6918 Brown has maintained a... Continued on page 20

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 8 8 Caption here.

Where are they now? Former NEC Work Study Jemma Williams

Jemma Williams While a student at HSU, Jemma Mckinleyville High Williams was fortunate to have her fi rst work-study job be at the Northcoast School Science club Environmental Center—running the eco-boutique, delivering EcoNews, and coordinating volunteers. T e NEC Adam Vera, Science Club Secretary was a great portal into the history of the T e McKinleyville High School Science Club is community’s environmental activism supported by enthusiastic students in grades 9-12, and her interest and involvement teachers, and local organizations whose main goal is in volunteerism and environmental to spread knowledge about science. Activities during issues fl ourished from there. the 2017-2018 school year have included working Before graduating HSU, Jemma with Zero Waste Humboldt to acquire eco-friendly landed an internship near her equipment for our campus, as well as the globally- hometown in Yosemite National impactful assembly and shipment of generously donated Park working as a Vegetation and solar suitcases to developing countries. Ecological Restoration Intern Led by Science Club President Sierra Wood, our leading volunteers in invasive plant club has thrived with community involvement this eradication throughout the valley Jemma teaching kids about macroinvertebrates at Bothe Nature Camp (Napa past year. Zero Waste Humboldt helped two particular and Tuolumne Meadows. It was an Resource Conservation District). Photo courtesy of Jemma Williams. projects with guidance and fi nancial assistance. T e opportunity to expand the volunteer fi rst was a project by Ortega, a McKinleyville High coordination skills she’d gotten a taste of at the NEC, in Oregon, conducting rare plant surveys in timber senior and Science Club Treasurer, who placed and a crash course in botany and the impacts invasive units on a botany crew for half of the season, and compost bins throughout our campus. A video was plants have on natural ecosystems and habitats. leading Youth Conservation Corps of teenagers aged also created about the research and data she collected After earning a B.A. in Geography and Natural 15-18 in native plant identifi cation and invasive supporting the need for compost bins on campus. Resources from HSU, she joined a weeds crew for the plant removal for the other half. Compost bins are a way to reduce waste and naturally Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, mapping Next, she explored some East Coast ecosystems recycle food waste positively in other ways. invasive plants, learning more about native plants, before ending up back in her home state as a Great I led the second project—installing a hydration and dodging rattlesnakes. After a quick stint traveling Basin Institute Assessment Inventory and Monitoring station on our campus (in addition to the existing in Central America, Jemma then served two terms in Field Lead—performing ecological assessments on BLM one we already have). A study done by previous the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Program at the grazing land, wearing the hats of botanist, soil scientist, McKinleyville High students calculated the number CA Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Eureka and rangeland specialist each day in very remote sites. of water bottles wasted on our campus each year and Arcata offi ces, as well as at the Humboldt Fish T ese positions helped her gain valuable insight and concluded that another hydration station would Action Council Nursery in Blue Lake. into the status and health of various ecosystems and exponentially reduce the waste. I picked up where T is program was an incredible opportunity the species living within them, as well as how natural they left off and recently secured the donation of a to conduct amphibian, bird, and salmonid surveys resources land management is conducted. hydration station from Zero Waste Humboldt. By the in the wetlands, tributaries, and landscapes of the Jemma then decided to put her plant and end of the school year, we plan to have two functioning North Coast. It was there that she realized exploring, restoration skills to use in a more urban environment and installed hydration stations on our campus. studying, and conserving the natural world made and moved to the North Bay area to work as a We also received donations of equipment to more sense than dedicating her time and energy Restoration Technician for the Sonoma Ecology help people in developing countries through the to anything else—and that her love of native plants Center, designing and installing restoration projects power of science. Solar suitcases (small generators was solidifi ed. After AmeriCorps and work at the near urban streams. She then jumped a watershed that provide electricity for any building or space nursery, Jemma went north to work for the USDA over to work in what is now her current position when the power is out) were our focus this year. T e Forest Service on the Middle Fork Willamette River as a Conservation... Continued on page 20 club received a donation of 12 solar suitcases by the creators of the product to assemble, test, and ship six of the 12 to developing countries in need. T e other six will be delivered to local middle schools in Humboldt County. Knowing the impact these will have on businesses, hospitals, and homes has made the experience of being involved with the solar suitcases both educational and rewarding. T ese projects have bettered our campus and the lives of many. To contact the Science Club, call the school at 707-839-6400. T e club appreciates involvement from anyone interested in science and how its power can be used to improve the world.

9 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews 9 G-O Road Jordan Cove LNG Export Project Continued f om page 5 Back from the Dead!Again ...Court, in Lyng vs. T e Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association. T irty years ago, in April 1988, the Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to indigenous tribes and environmental activists by ruling in favor of the Forest Service. Despite this surprising loss in the Supreme Court, construction of the last few miles of road at Chimney Rock continued to be delayed by the lower court’s rulings, which were not overturned by the Supreme Court. T ese upheld the environmental law violations presented by groups including the NEC. T ese infractions, including those against the Clean Water Act and the need for a more thorough Environmental Impact Statement, meant the Forest Service continued to be prohibited from completing the project. T e G-O Road was fi nally stopped when Congress passed the 1984 California Wilderness Act, designating the land as the Siskiyou Wilderness Area and prohibiting logging and other resource extraction in the area. Without a purpose for Hundreds of people, including Tribal members, landowners, and climate activists, rallied at the Oregon State Capital in 2015 to ask such a road, it was never fi nished. All but 13 Governor Kate Brown to oppose the Jordan Cove LNG proposal. Photo: Alex Milan Tracy. of the 55 miles had been completed. Today the California Wilderness Act protects 14,967,957 Madeline Bauman fracking boom, when Lesley became involved, “It acres in California. In the May 17 edition of the EcoNews Report, became clear that there was absolutely no need for While on the surface this may appear a success Waterkeeper Alliance’s Pete Nichols and Lesley [the United States] to import gas, and the company story, there were repercussions. While the road Adams sat down to discuss the 13-year-old proposed fi nally admitted to that in 2011 after we’d been was never completed and the region was utilized Jordan Cove liquefi ed natural gas (LNG) pipeline legally challenging them for years. T ey withdrew as wilderness rather than resource extraction, a and export facility project in southern Oregon. LNG their application, and said you’re right, never mind, precedent was set. T e Supreme Court ruling made it is primarily methane gas that’s been hyper-cooled we’re not gonna import gas—we would like to clear that lands sacred to indigenous tribes were not and condensed for shipping purposes. export gas.” T e project was offi cially refi led as an protected, and Native American religion and culture T e current proposal involves a 230-mile export facility, proposing to take “surplus” gas from was not protected under the U.S. Constitution. pipeline that would span from an existing hub on the Rocky Mountains and Canada and export it to Repercussions of this are still seen today in instances the California/Oregon border to Coos Bay, where countries willing to pay higher prices. such as Bears Ears National Monument, where the a terminal would be built to receive gas from the Another theory regarding the import/export sacred land of the monument has been drastically pipeline. From the terminal, the gas would be fl ip-fl op, according to Lesley, is eminent domain. decreased by the Trump administration. liquifi ed and put onto massive tankers, then shipped Importing gas for the American people’s use seems U.S. courts continue to use the G-O Road ruling to customers in Asia, where they would re-gasify the like a business venture for the common good, right? to develop, deregulate, and extract from sacred and LNG to make it usable again. Out of the 230 miles the pipeline proposes to cover, ecologically vital lands. While the Siskiyous were T e project is historically problematic. Originally 150 miles are privately owned. While Pembina, the saved, the legal precedent puts other areas at risk. proposed in 2005 as an import project rather than company behind the Jordan Cove LNG Project, T e G-O Road battle did not end in 1988; the fi ght export, the argument at the time was that the United off ers relative pennies for the 150 miles of land under for public lands continues. States needed more gas. T e shift from import to the guise of serving the greater good: Pembina is To learn more on this topic, listen to the NEC’s export can be owed to the volatile oil market and the “spinning it[self] as an import facility for the greater EcoNews Report from April 26 on KHSU. sudden accessibility to oil via fracking. During the good, when really a Canadian company is wanting to export gas and sell it for three times the price. Where’s the greater good in that?” asks Lesley. T e terminal and the pipeline are permitted VIOLET-GREEN separately, but the same company is behind WINERY both of them: Pembina. In eff orts to combat corporate carbon powers, Lesley mentions bank SYRAH - MERLOT CABERNET FRANC divestment as a strategy in order to “communicate CABERNET SAUVIGNON to these banks that they don’t want them funding ULTRAVIOLET these extreme fossil fuel projects.” Pembina is primarily fi nanced by four Canadian banks, as Celebrating 16 years of making fne wines for our community Locally Owned & Operated well as J.P. Morgan Chase. T e Jordan Cove LNG 707.445.8679 www.violetgreenwinery.com project is only one of many pipelines currently in process nationally. Continued on page 19

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 10 winery syrah~cabernet franc~merlot~cabernet sauvignon~ultraviolet

Locally Owned & Operated Tel. 707.445.8679 www.violetgreenwinery.com Kin to the Earth: Rob of the Redwoods Rob DiPerna and satire, music and media, and, most Tom Wheeler famously, civil disobedience. EPIC Rob joined EarthFirst!, participating Rob DiPerna is distinctive. He cuts the part of in some direct action campaigns. He an environmentalist, with long hair and a penchant sat in a tree, but couldn’t get used to for singing Grateful Dead songs in the offi ce. But the swaying. T en he chained himself Rob also likes to don his “monkey suit”—as he calls to a logging road gate, but the logging his suit and tie—and play the part of environmental trucks took a diff erent road. Soon, Rob lobbyist in Sacramento. He can quote Shakespeare, discovered that his talents were best old cartoons from his youth growing up in Upstate suited in the legal advocacy side. New York, and the Forest Practice Rules with equal Rob’s most notable feature is his vigor—all verbatim, and often unprovoked. Because brain. Rob has the Forest Practice of his big personality, Rob is prone to nicknames— Rules virtually memorized. Marily “the Grim Reaper,” for his bleak reports on yet Woodhouse, Executive Director of another terrible clearcut; “Rob of the Redwoods,” for the Battle Creek Alliance, calls Rob his eff ervescent enthusiasm for Redwood National her “go-to walking encyclopedia of and State Parks. He is a character and I am proud to forest rules and history.” Just today, call him my friend. he gave me a lecture on the origin of Rob has served two tours of duty at EPIC the marbled murrelet rules, murrelet monitoring private industrial timber management, survey protocols, and how the rules once in the early 2000s and in his current tenure have changed over time. He is better as EPIC’s Forest and Wildlife Advocate. He serves than Google. Not only does Rob know a Swiss Army Knife role, drafting rulemaking the Rules, he knows intimately their petitions, reviewing dense science, and befriending provenance, owing to the many long agency staff ers. car rides with EPIC-advocate Richard Rob came to environmental advocacy almost Gienger to Sacramento, where they by accident. Having relocated to Humboldt in 1997, would haunt the Board of Forestry, Rob began volunteering with Food Not Bombs, a and through many hours working with Rob in his natural habitat: a redwood forest. Photo courtesy of Rob DiPerna. collective devoted to stamping out hunger through Sharon Duggan, EPIC’s Staff Attorney. to the spirit and letter of the law in an eff ort to make free public meals. T e Arcata Food Not Bombs In his decade at EPIC, Rob has reviewed the most of the process we currently have. Rob is a chapter was supporting the civil disobedience of the hundreds of Timber Harvest Plans—once an arduous tireless advocate for all things wild and free.” For this, Headwaters Campaign, feeding EarthFirst! at base process that required him to drive to Fortuna to we are all better off . Rob is a true Kin to the Earth. camps. Here, Rob met his clan and his calling. T e make photocopies, but today is as easy as opening last large block of old-growth redwoods in private a link on his laptop. He still haunts the Board of hands was under imminent threat; against the Forestry, much to their dismay. He is detail-driven, logger’s chainsaw, EarthFirst! fought back with art ~ Certified Herbalists ~ and notices the importance of a missing comma or a Effective, Natural & Economical squishy, vague word where others (like me) don’t. As Alan Levine of the Coast Action Network told me, “Rob knows his stuff and he works.” Healthcare When Rob isn’t at the offi ce, he’s in the woods— either walking a quick loop of the Arcata Community for your life. Forest or on a long, multi-day hiking excursion. (T is • Over 400 medicinal summer he is hiking the Washington portion of the Pacifi c Crest Trail.) He has volunteered at Redwood and culinary herbs National and State Parks, where they strap him down • Organic teas with GPS beacons to map trails. He is also a docent at the Headwaters Forest Reserve, one of the places • Custom formulas he helped to defend with EPIC and EarthFirst!. He • Unique gifts recently began leading commercial guided tours of the redwoods, where his unabiding love of the forest can be shared with tourists from around the globe. Attorney Nathan Madsen says this of Rob, “I’m grateful to be on the same team as Rob, for as an adversary, he would make slipping one past him a challenging task.” Nathan continues, “He wades through the regulations, related plan submissions, 300 2nd Street, Old Town, Eureka (707) 442-3541 • www.humboldtherbals.com Rob in his “monkey suit” at the California State Capital, March and alphabet soup with determined dedication to “We Help You Understand Nature’s Pharmacy” 7, 2018. Photo courtesy of Rob DiPerna. the task of holding agencies and forestry operators

11 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews The Sandpiper 15th Annual Children’s Issue JUNE/JULY 2018 Redwood Region Audubon Society www.rras.org JUNE/JULY FIELD TRIPS

Every Saturday: Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. takes a leisurely pace with emphasis on enjoying the inviting the Redwood Region, Peregrine, Mendocino, These are our famous, rain-or-shine, docent-led fi eld trips birds! Beginners are more than welcome. Meet at the Plumas, and Redbud Chapters to join us. at the Marsh. Bring your binocular(s) and have a great Refuge Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Call Jude Power (707- Species expected include Osprey, Pileated morning birding! Meet in the parking lot at the end of 822- 3613) for more information. Woodpecker, White-headed Woodpecker, Black-backed South I Street (Klopp Lake) in Arcata at 8:30 a.m. Trips Woodpecker, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Vaux’s Swift, end around 11 a.m. Walks led by: Jude Power (June 2); Eureka Waterfront Field Trips are on hiatus until Common Nighthawk, Buffl ehead, Gray Jay, Brown Larry Karsteadt (June 9); Christine Keil (June 16); Max September. Contact Ralph Bucher (707-499-1247; Creeper, American Dipper, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow Brodie (June 23); Cindy Moyer (June 30). If you are [email protected]). Warbler, Western Tanager and Cassin’s Finch. Possibles interested in leading a Marsh walk, please contact Ken include Sooty Grouse, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Cassin’s Burton at [email protected]. Sunday, June 17: Lake Earl Wildlife Area. Meet Vireo, Pygmy Nuthatch, Green-tailed Towhee and leader Dwight Jones ([email protected]) at 8 Evening Grosbeak. For some of our more far-reaching trips, we would like a.m. at the Cadra Point Trail head on Old Mill Road We will bird Manzanita Lake and vicinity on to suggest donating gas money to drivers on fi eld trips. north of Sandhill Road Trail is two miles out and back; Saturday morning. The rest of the itinerary is open and A good rule of thumb is $5 per ½ hour drive time to we expect to return by noon. will depend on the interests of the participants. Folks can fi eld trip destination. either camp at Lost Creek or drive up for either or both Saturday, June 30: Blue Lake. Meet at the parking Saturday and Sunday. Campers can arrive at the campsite Saturday, June 9: Horse Mountain. We will be birding pull-out just south of the Mad River bridge on Hatchery at a time of their choosing on Friday afternoon. Saturday high-elevation Humboldt County from Horse to Grouse Rd. at 9 a.m. We’ll bird in the riparian cottonwoods and day trippers should meet at the Kutra’s Park meeting Mountain on Forest Service Route 1 during this annual then drive to the hatchery. Contact Alexa at 202-288- place at 8 a.m. Saturday morning to car pool. Day trippers fi eld trip. Target species will include Mountain Quail, 5174. for Sunday, July 29, will meet at the campsite at 9 a.m. Sooty Grouse, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Pileated and White- Lost Creek (https://www.nps.gov/lavo/ Sunday, July 8: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife headed Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Dusky and planyourvisit/lost-creek-group-campground.htm) has Refuge. See June 10. Hammond’s Flycatchers, Townsend’s Solitaire, Green- primitive facilities: pit toilets and no electricity. Potable tailed Towhee, Thick-billed Fox Sparrow, and more. water is available. Contact Larry Jordan at 530-949- Saturday, July 14: Willow Creek Bird Walk. See Maybe we’ll even luck into a Northern Goshawk! Meet 5266 or email [email protected] for other June 9, but note that there is a new leader. Please contact at 7 a.m. near Espresso 101 off of Giuntoli. Rob Fowler particulars. will lead (707-616-9841; [email protected]). Birgitte Elbek for more information on this and future Bring a lunch. We will fi nish around early afternoon. Willow Creek walks (707-267-4140). LIMITED TO 15 PEOPLE, SO PLEASE CONTACT ROB TO BE PUT ON THE LIST. Sunday, July 15: Bird and Butterfl ies of Horse and Grouse Mountain. Join Gary Falxa (707-476- Saturday, June 9: Willow Creek Bird Walk. Meet at 9238; [email protected]) and Rob Fowler (707- Studio 299 (75 The Terrace, Willow Creek) starting at 9 616-9841; [email protected]) for a butterfl y- a.m. We will depart promptly at 9:30 for our destination; specifi c trip from Horse to Grouse Mountain. Various carpooling available. Walks generally run 2-3 hours. All fritillaries, blues, swallowtails, coppers, hairstreaks, ages, abilities and interest levels welcome! For more and more will be searched out and we’ll note the birds information, please contact Melissa Dougherty at 530- seen and heard while we do! We will also look for the 859-1874 or email [email protected]. recently described and local Disguised Wood-Nymph. Meet at 9 a.m. in the Valley West Shopping Center near Saturday, June 9: Southern Humboldt Community the Jitterbug coffee shop in Arcata. Bring a lunch and Park in Garberville. The walk begins at 8 a.m. in Tooby sun protection. Park with leader David Fix. Take Sprowl Creek Road Saturday, July 21: Southern Humboldt Community for one mile and just past the park entryway (McKee photo by Alexa DeJoannis Lane), you’ll see the Tooby parking lot on the right and Park in Garberville. Meet at 8 a.m. Jude Power leads well signed. The trip is an easy 2-3 hours. We generally (707-822- 3613). See June 9. have some extra binoculars. Organic shade-grown (bird- Whose Tummy is this? friendly) coffee is usually provided. No dogs, please. Friday, July 27, noon to Sunday, July 29, noon: (Answer on last page) Porta-potty available on the trail. For information call Jay Lassen Volcanic National Park Campout. Free! at 707-923-2695. Heavy rain cancels. We have enjoyed the birding and camping at the Lost Creek Group Campground for several years, so we are RRAS programs Sunday, June 10: Humboldt Bay National Wildlife scheduling this event again this year in conjunction with are taking a hiatus Refuge. This is a wonderful, 2- to 3-hour trip for people Altacal Audubon. Group Camp sites #4 & 5 have been wanting to learn the birds of the Humboldt Bay area. It reserved for the nights of Friday and Saturday. We are June through August. By Hal Genger

CHAPTER LEADERS OFFICERS President’s Column President— Alexa DeJoannis..…...... 202-288-5174 by Alexa DeJoannis trip for inlanders to come down and see our returning Vice President— Ken Burton...... 707-499-1146 shorebirds in the early fall. Watch the August/September Secretary — Sierra Huffman...... 707-298-8608 Redwood Region Audubon Society is proud to see so Sandpiper for details! Treasurer—Gary Friedrichsen...... 707-822-6543 many excellent entries from our local young people In the political world, California will vote in a Past President— Hal Genger...... 707-499-0887 in both art and nature writing. How wonderful that our statewide primary election on June 5. The ballot includes DIRECTORS AT LARGE next generation is so active and engaged in our natural both candidates for public offce and propositions. Voting Ralph Bucher...... 707-443-6944 environment! Sue and Tom Leskiw have once again put is the most critical action that a citizen can take, so make Melissa Dougherty …...... 530-859-1874 forward their energy and time to make a success of these sure to cast your ballot! RRAS is endorsing Proposition Harriet Hill...... 707-267-4055 contests, which occur in association with the Godwit 68, a bond measure that will fund drinking-water Syn-dee Noel...... 707-442-8862 Days Spring Bird Migration Festival in mid-April, to cleanups, water capture and recycling, and parks. These Chet Ogan...... 707-442-9353 inspire engagement in our community. essential investments protect all our communities from Susan Penn...... 707-273-5200 With the beginning of summer and the end of the water pollution and drought, and promote health. Also, Gail Kenny...... 707-601-1582 school year, many of us will be traveling and one of our the California Senate has just passed The Great Redwood Denise Seeger...... 707-444-2399 regular feld trips and the monthly program are on hiatus Trail Act, which takes positive action on the railroad OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS until September. Wintu Audubon is once again organizing right-of-way from Humboldt to the San Francisco Bay. Conservation — Jim Clark ...... …... 707-445-8311 a fabulous opportunity to do some birding a bit farther The southern section will be given to the Sonoma-Marin Eductn/Schlrshps — Denise Seeger ..707-444-2399 from home in the dry upcountry east of Redding. I look transit authority, while the northern portion will receive eBird Liaison — Rob Fowler ………..... 707-839-3493 forward to birding with locals and seeing some different environmental mitigation and be transformed into a non- Facebook — Cindy Moyer…………..…… 707-822-1886 species, and our chapter hopes to offer a reciprocal birding motorized trail. — Rob Fowler ……………..…. 707-839-3493 Field Trips— Melissa Dougherty …... 530-859-1874 Historian — John Hewston ...... 707-822-5288 Results of 15th Annual Student Bird Art Contest Membership — Susan Penn.…...... 707-273-5200 NEC Representative — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 By Sue Leskiw, Contest Organizer Nominations — Hal Genger...... 707-499-0887 Nearly 800 local K-12 students pulled out paints, pencils, — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 pastels, or paste to enter the Fifteenth Annual Student Programs — Ken Burton ...... 707-499-1146 Bird Art Contest, held in association with the 23rd Annual Publications — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival in mid- Publicity — Harriet Hill...... 707-267-4055 April. Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS) and Sandpiper (Ed.)—Alexa DeJoannis..… 202-288-5174 Friends of the Arcata Marsh (FOAM) cosponsored the Sandpiper (Layout)- Gary Bloomfield ..707-362-1226 competition. Volunteer Coordinator- Susan Penn.....707-273-5200 All entries were displayed at the Arcata Website — Susan Penn...... 707-273-5200 Community Center during the Festival, and copies of Lake Earl Branch — Sue Calla...... 707-465-6191 the frst-, second-, and third-place winners, as well RRAS Web Page...... …....…..... www.rras.org Arcata Bird Alert ...... 707-822-5666 as Best Bird in Habitat awards, are hung at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center through June. A downloadable The Sandpiper is published six times each year by Redwood Region Audubon Society booklet containing the artwork, as well as group photos of P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502. the winners taken during the awards ceremony, is posted at www.rras.org and www.arcatamarshfriends.org. Thinking of Joining the National Audubon Society? Prizes totaling $615 were given out, 39 monetary prizes plus 28 honorable mentions. If so, please use the coupon below. By sending in your membership on this form, rather than replying to solicita- The winners were: tions from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS. Kindergarten This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruiting First Place, Grade 1: Bony McKnight, national members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share per First Place: Story Mintey, Freshwater Elementary, Spotted Coastal Grove Charter, Northern Flicker new member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you. Owl Second Place: Amie Sadana Rodriguez, Dow’s Prairie Third Place: Sebastian Amaro, Fuente Nueva Charter, Chapter Membership Application School, Wood Duck; Carissa Gonzalez, Dow’s Prairie Snowy Plover; Maliah Cheng, Pacifc View Charter, Yes, I’d like to join. School, Marbled Godwit Spotted Owl; Penelope Love, Pacifc Union School, Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Third Place: Kylie Gayner, Dow’s Prairie School, Belted Mallard Society and of my local chapter. Please send Kingfsher; Mason Boone, Dow’s Prairie School, Wood Grades 3&4 AUDUBON magazine and my membership card to the Duck address below. First Place: Malia Andersen, Union Street Charter, Snowy Grade 1 Plover; Mason Jia Yang Li, Washington Elementary My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer) First Place: Bony McKnight, Coastal Grove Charter, NAME______School, Peregrine Falcon Northern Flicker; Everett Gruetzmacher, Dow’s Prairie Second Place: Allison Wibbenhorst, Pacifc View ADDRESS______School, American Goldfnch Charter, Marbled Godwit; Rowan Magnusen, Six Rivers CITY ______Second Place: Zoey McBroome, Dow’s Prairie School, Montessori, Black-crowned Night-Heron STATE______ZIP______Steller’s Jay; Amaya Teraoka, Dow’s Prairie School, Third Place: Nora Brumbaugh, Union Street Charter, email ______Wood Duck Pileated Woodpecker; Hazzard Guthrie, Fuente Nueva Local Chapter Code: C24 Third Place: Leslie McLaughlin, Orleans Elementary, Charter, Snowy Plover Please make checks to the National Audubon Society. Pileated Woodpecker Grade 5 Grade 2 Send this application and your check to: First Place: Saanvi Virnave, Fuente Nueva Charter, National Audubon Society First Place: Jade Frimodig, Fuente Nueva Charter, Steller’s Jay American Robin; Grayson Finen, Mistwood Educational Second Place: Zinnia Clifford, Pacifc View Charter, P.O. Box 422250 Center, White-tailed Kite; Aubrey Lloyd, Cuddeback Palm Coast, FL 32142-2250 Great Blue Heron School, Western Meadowlark Third Place: Ayla Weiss, Six Rivers Montessori, Red------LOCAL CHAPTER------Second Place: Natalie Williams, Mattole Valley Charter, breasted Nuthatch REdWOOD REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY American Avocet; Myah Visser, Dow’s Prairie School, P.O. BOX 1054, EUREKA, CA 95502 Osprey; Emma Hovie, Fuente Nueva Charter, Wood Duck (cont. next page) by Alexa DeJoannis By Hal Genger

CHAPTER LEADERS Sanctuary (wetland, saltmarsh, OFFICERS President’s Column and fi eld habitat); and 5) Fresh- 13th Annual Student President— Alexa DeJoannis..…...... 202-288-5174 by Alexa DeJoannis trip for inlanders to come down and see our returning water Reserve (grazing land Nature-Writing Vice President— Ken Burton...... 707-499-1146 shorebirds in the early fall. Watch the August/September with riparian areas and sloughs). Secretary — Sierra Huffman...... 707-298-8608 Redwood Region Audubon Society is proud to see so Sandpiper for details! Amaya conducted 30 three-hour Contest Treasurer—Gary Friedrichsen...... 707-822-6543 many excellent entries from our local young people In the political world, California will vote in a surveys at each location, not- Past President— Hal Genger...... 707-499-0887 in both art and nature writing. How wonderful that our statewide primary election on June 5. The ballot includes ing species present and their By Tom Leskiw, Contest Organizer DIRECTORS AT LARGE next generation is so active and engaged in our natural both candidates for public offce and propositions. Voting behavior and location along a Ralph Bucher...... 707-443-6944 environment! Sue and Tom Leskiw have once again put is the most critical action that a citizen can take, so make one-third mile stretch. While The judges were pleased to see 80 submissions, our Melissa Dougherty …...... 530-859-1874 forward their energy and time to make a success of these sure to cast your ballot! RRAS is endorsing Proposition she noted all species observed, second-highest number ever. This year, we created Junior Harriet Hill...... 707-267-4055 contests, which occur in association with the Godwit 68, a bond measure that will fund drinking-water she particularly tracked North- and Senior Divisions: grades 4-6 and 7-12, respectively. Syn-dee Noel...... 707-442-8862 Days Spring Bird Migration Festival in mid-April, to cleanups, water capture and recycling, and parks. These ern Harrier, Great and Snowy The work of both fi rst-place winners follows. A booklet Chet Ogan...... 707-442-9353 inspire engagement in our community. essential investments protect all our communities from Egret, Song Sparrow, Turkey containing all nature-writing and bird-art contest winners Susan Penn...... 707-273-5200 With the beginning of summer and the end of the water pollution and drought, and promote health. Also, Vulture, Red-winged Blackbird, is available for downloading at www.rras.org. Gail Kenny...... 707-601-1582 school year, many of us will be traveling and one of our the California Senate has just passed The Great Redwood Mallard, American Crow, Marsh Denise Seeger...... 707-444-2399 regular feld trips and the monthly program are on hiatus Trail Act, which takes positive action on the railroad Wren, and Great Blue Heron. OTHER CHAPTER LEADERS until September. Wintu Audubon is once again organizing right-of-way from Humboldt to the San Francisco Bay. The results supported her initial Conservation — Jim Clark ...... …... 707-445-8311 a fabulous opportunity to do some birding a bit farther The southern section will be given to the Sonoma-Marin hypothesis, as the most diverse Eductn/Schlrshps — Denise Seeger ..707-444-2399 from home in the dry upcountry east of Redding. I look transit authority, while the northern portion will receive and restored habitat attracted the eBird Liaison — Rob Fowler ………..... 707-839-3493 forward to birding with locals and seeing some different environmental mitigation and be transformed into a non- most diversity in bird species. Facebook — Cindy Moyer…………..…… 707-822-1886 species, and our chapter hopes to offer a reciprocal birding motorized trail. — Rob Fowler ……………..…. 707-839-3493 Second place went Field Trips— Melissa Dougherty …... 530-859-1874 to Calvin Zhang Sway, an 8th Historian — John Hewston ...... 707-822-5288 Results of 15th Annual Student Bird Art Contest Calvin Zhang Sway and Amaya Bechler, second- and fi rst-place win- grader at Jacoby Creek School. Membership — Susan Penn.…...... 707-273-5200 By Sue Leskiw, Contest Organizer ners, respectively, of RRAS Science Fair award for the best project re- His research built upon a project NEC Representative — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 lated to birds or their habitat. Photo courtesy of Humboldt Co. Schools. he undertook in 2016 to see how Nominations — Hal Genger...... 707-499-0887 Nearly 800 local K-12 students pulled out paints, pencils, Steller’s Jays could use tools to — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 pastels, or paste to enter the Fifteenth Annual Student RRAS Sponsors obtain a food reward. (He won fi rst prize from RRAS Programs — Ken Burton ...... 707-499-1146 Bird Art Contest, held in association with the 23rd Annual for his Phase I research that demonstrated jays could use Publications — C.J. Ralph...... 707-822-2015 Godwit Days Spring Migration Bird Festival in mid- 14th Annual simple tools in a logical manner: pulling a rake toward Publicity — Harriet Hill...... 707-267-4055 Junior Division: 1st Place April. Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS) and them to get a peanut.) In 2018, he studied whether that Sandpiper (Ed.)—Alexa DeJoannis..… 202-288-5174 Bella Fratkin Friends of the Arcata Marsh (FOAM) cosponsored the Science Fair Award same species could use a tool or push a lever in an illogi- Sandpiper (Layout)- Gary Bloomfield ..707-362-1226 6th Grade, Six Rivers Montessori competition. By Sue Leskiw cal/counterintuitive way: to make food go in the opposite Volunteer Coordinator- Susan Penn.....707-273-5200 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx All entries were displayed at the Arcata direction to make it reachable. Calvin hypothesized that Website — Susan Penn...... 707-273-5200 xx2018 again brought a tie for the best project related to The Many Shades of Life Community Center during the Festival, and copies of the birds would be able to make this leap in intelligence Lake Earl Branch — Sue Calla...... 707-465-6191 birds or their habitat at the annual Humboldt County Sci- the frst-, second-, and third-place winners, as well (pulling a cord vertically down to make peanuts move Blue RRAS Web Page...... …....…..... www.rras.org ence Fair held in mid-March, with the recipients splitting as Best Bird in Habitat awards, are hung at the Arcata horizontally or vertically) but his results were that they Arcata Bird Alert ...... 707-822-5666 $50 in prize money. Flowing, trickling, turning moving Blue as the Marsh Interpretive Center through June. A downloadable cannot. Despite Calvin’s many modifi cations to the test- The Sandpiper is published six times each year by First place went to Amaya Bechler, a 10th grad- Sky on a sunny day, refl ections of my life booklet containing the artwork, as well as group photos of ing station, however, the jays were able to fi nd a logical Redwood Region Audubon Society er at Northcoast Preparatory Academy. She investigated I can see clearer now. P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502. the winners taken during the awards ceremony, is posted way to work around the problem and retrieve the nuts! how tidal wetland restoration near Humboldt Bay affects at www.rras.org and www.arcatamarshfriends.org. His conclusion was that Steller’s Jays are good with lin- bird diversity and occurrence. Her hypothesis was that Green Thinking of Joining the Prizes totaling $615 were given out, 39 monetary ear ideas but not abstract ones. (Calvin also shared the National Audubon Society? “bird species that have been shown to be highly adapt- prizes plus 28 honorable mentions. RRAS science fair prize in 2017 for research on T urkey Piney, pokey, tasty, leafy, Green as an abstract If so, please use the coupon below. By sending in your able and less specialized will be moderately present in Vultures!) So forcefully created splatters and strokes dotted with the membership on this form, rather than replying to solicita- The winners were: all habitats studied, regardless of human presence, while Artist’s identity Green a pencil, a colored pencil green tions from National Audubon, $20 is sent directly to RRAS. Kindergarten Both were among only 16 Humboldt County This is how NAS rewards local chapters for recruiting First Place, Grade 1: Bony McKnight, species that are less adaptable and more specialized for as grass. This pencil ready to be used on the abstract, the First Place: Story Mintey, Freshwater Elementary, Spotted projects that were selected to compete in the state science national members. (Otherwise, the RRAS dues share per Coastal Grove Charter, Northern Flicker certain habitats will only appear in those habitats.” She abstract the painting of my life, I am the artist. new member is only a couple of dollars.) Thank you. Owl selected fi ve locations that represented different types of fair in April, with Amaya winning a special recognition award from the California Association of Professional Second Place: Amie Sadana Rodriguez, Dow’s Prairie Third Place: Sebastian Amaro, Fuente Nueva Charter, habitat and restoration: 1) Eureka Slough (urbanized, un- Chapter Membership Application School, Wood Duck; Carissa Gonzalez, Dow’s Prairie healthy tidal marsh); 2) Fay Slough (diked grazing land); Scientists. Her project will be on display at the Arcata Brown Snowy Plover; Maliah Cheng, Pacifc View Charter, Marsh Interpretive Center through June. The toasted crust of bread, warm, steaming, fl uffy, Yes, I’d like to join. School, Marbled Godwit Spotted Owl; Penelope Love, Pacifc Union School, 3) Butcher’s Slough (restored brackish riparian habitat); delicious crafted by hand mixing, pouring, patient Please enroll me as a member of the National Audubon Third Place: Kylie Gayner, Dow’s Prairie School, Belted Mallard 4) Mount Trashmore at the Arcata Marsh & Wildlife Society and of my local chapter. Please send Kingfsher; Mason Boone, Dow’s Prairie School, Wood Grades 3&4 waiting, baking, then producing a loaf, a work of art, AUDUBON magazine and my membership card to the Duck First Place: Malia Andersen, Union Street Charter, Snowy food one of the many sources of life after all. address below. Grade 1 Best Depiction of a Bird in Its Habitat My check for $20 is enclosed. (Introductory offer) Plover; Mason Jia Yang Li, Washington Elementary Student Bird Art (cont.) First Place: Bony McKnight, Coastal Grove Charter, Maxwell Collins, Grade 2, Garfi eld School, Marbled White NAME______School, Peregrine Falcon Northern Flicker; Everett Gruetzmacher, Dow’s Prairie Second Place: Allison Wibbenhorst, Pacifc View Murrelet; Araya Bennett, Grade 2, Scotia School, White as the moon the great pearl of the sky, ADDRESS______School, American Goldfnch Grade 6 Charter, Marbled Godwit; Rowan Magnusen, Six Rivers Mallard; Annika Bucklin, Grade 4, Union Street Shining, glowing, illuminating light, craters and First Place: Meguire Bartosz, Alder Grove Charter, CITY ______Second Place: Zoey McBroome, Dow’s Prairie School, Montessori, Black-crowned Night-Heron Charter, Spotted Owl; Bodhi Jennings, Grade 6, Six Buffl ehead imperfections STATE______ZIP______Steller’s Jay; Amaya Teraoka, Dow’s Prairie School, Third Place: Nora Brumbaugh, Union Street Charter, Rivers Montessori, Northern Flicker; Mathias Keely, Second Place: Reny Sharp, Pacifi c View Charter, Anna’s Stand out and glow in the night defi antly refusing its email ______Wood Duck Pileated Woodpecker; Hazzard Guthrie, Fuente Nueva Grade 6, Mattole Valley Charter, Pileated Woodpecker Hummingbird place in a world Local Chapter Code: C24 Third Place: Leslie McLaughlin, Orleans Elementary, Charter, Snowy Plover Honorable Mentions Third Place: Aurora Amaral, Mattole Valley Charter, Of beings constantly striving for perfection, the moon Please make checks to the National Audubon Society. Pileated Woodpecker Grade 5 Kindergarten: Kaleo Major, Arcata Elementary, Grade 2 American Kestrel gently guiding our current, waves of emotion moved Send this application and your check to: First Place: Saanvi Virnave, Fuente Nueva Charter, Pileated Woodpecker; Hunter Aiton, Dow’s Prairie Grades 7-12 National Audubon Society First Place: Jade Frimodig, Fuente Nueva Charter, Steller’s Jay School, Wood Duck; Phoebe Rogers, Jacoby Creek back and forth, back and forth First Place: Amaya Bechler, Northcoast Preparatory American Robin; Grayson Finen, Mistwood Educational Second Place: Zinnia Clifford, Pacifc View Charter, School, Black Phoebe; Jacob Bucciarelli, Dow’s Rhythmic in its simplicity the thump of my heart P.O. Box 422250 Academy, White-throated Sparrow Center, White-tailed Kite; Aubrey Lloyd, Cuddeback Great Blue Heron Prairie School, Anna’s Hummingbird; Natalie Helms, The beat of my life. Palm Coast, FL 32142-2250 Second Place: Karlene Vang, Eureka High, Great Blue School, Western Meadowlark Third Place: Ayla Weiss, Six Rivers Montessori, Red- Dow’s Prairie School, Marbled Godwit; Alexis Heron ------LOCAL CHAPTER------Second Place: Natalie Williams, Mattole Valley Charter, breasted Nuthatch Waxler, Dow’s Prairie School, Belted Kingfi sher. REdWOOD REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY American Avocet; Myah Visser, Dow’s Prairie School, Third Place: Rebecca Nguyen, Eureka High, Am. Robin P.O. BOX 1054, EUREKA, CA 95502 Osprey; Emma Hovie, Fuente Nueva Charter, Wood Duck (cont. next page) (cont. next page) (cont. next page) Cutten Elementary, Blue Jay; Student Bird Art (cont.) Sarah Domingo-Franklin, Green Point School, Western Tanager; Nikolas Robinson, Mattole Valley Charter, Barn Swallow. Grades 7-12: Maizie Fugate, Mattole Valley Charter, Mourning Dove; Rogue Russell, Sunny Brae Middle School, Anna’s Hummingbird; Adam Treegan, Zoe Barnum High, Red-breasted Nuthatch.

First Place, Grade 2: Aubrey Lloyd, Second Place, Grade 2: Cuddeback School, Myah Visser, Western Meadowlark Dow’s Prairie School, Osprey Third Place, Grades 7-12: Rebecca Nguyen, Grade 1: Hudson Caldwell, Ridgewood School, Eureka High, American Robin American Goldfnch; Michael Mackay, Redwood Coast Montessori, Peregrine Falcon; Meena Hardell Moreno, Redwood Coast Montessori, Snowy Plover. Grade 2: Kyla Benzinger, Garfeld School, California Quail; Jordan Thuesen, Dow’s Prairie School, Spotted Towhee. Grades 3&4: October Mintey, Freshwater Elementary, White-tailed Kite; Shaylee Daggett, Scotia School, Wood Duck; Carlo Campagna, Redwood Coast Montessori, Osprey; Jocilyn O’Donnell, Mistwood Educational Center, Western Grebe; Lily Bazemore, Cutten Elementary, Blue Jay. Grade 5: Maile Russell, Union Street Charter, American Crow; Wynne Pevec, Fuente Nueva Charter, Steller’s Jay; Solana Mendle- Nickle, Fuente Nueva Charter, Western Meadowlark; Lilly Church, Mattole Valley Charter, Black-capped Chickadee; Harvey Beard, Mattole Valley Charter, Great Horned Owl. Grade 6: Natalie Marie Parker, Cutten First Place, Grades 7-12: Amaya Bechler, Elementary, Anna’s Hummingbird; Jackson Burger, First Place, Grade 6: Meguire Bartosz, Northcoast Preparatory Academy, Alder Grove Charter, Buffehead White-throated Sparrow

Nature-Writing (cont.) Birding Two scaup glide silently across the steaming water, slicing else. Or rather everything else, the interlockings and wakes through silver light. Their fnely vermiculated the complicated, dynamic balance of life unfolding all feathers glisten with the rising sun. They watch beneath around us. At least to me, no one can truly value the the surface, dipping heads in near-synchronization, then natural world without at least attempting to understand sliding down below refections, leaving concentric circles it. The frst step of that is learning what the proper names rippling. The silence and cold of the dawn is so complete of every creature, every plant, and therein learning a little it’s choking. The pair of ducks are in breeding plumage, more about each. And in learning of birds, all their great both males. A Red-breasted Nuthatch bleats somewhere. diversity provides a glimpse into the massive, incredibly That silhouette a half-mile away? Common Raven. And complex, and living thing that surrounds us. fitting among the bristly clusters of Spartina, a Marsh I could stand at the marsh and identify and count Wren begins to sing. and observe every common species forever. With every I lower my binoculars and exhale, watching moment I spend watching them, the avocets, brushing my breath turn to steamy vapor. Birding is an act of their beaks methodically over mud, teach me something careful concentration, of organization, categorization, new. There will never be a point when there won’t be more and attention to detail. The subtleties are what matter the to learn. So I keep going back, taking my binoculars and most. Like the faint, dark edges to the primaries of that slipping the practice of birding into every single day. The Amaya Bechler (center), Winner of RRAS_ gull fying over, which otherwise would seem diagnostic sun rises, the peregrine dives on panicked shorebirds, and Senior Division Nature-Writing Contest, with for a Glaucous-winged Gull, but with that one detail, the two Greater Scaup surface, water running in rivulets Selection Committee Chairs Sue and Tom would be a Glaucous-winged x Western Hybrid. And off their pure white fanks. Leskiw. Photo by June Bechler. most of birding is that: mechanical sorting, and standing in the cold marshlands quite early in the morning.

But there’s a saying, or quotation, that “the

Senior Division: 1st Place DeJoannis A. by Marsh, Arcata

beginning of wisdom is calling things by their name.” 05/12/2018, Warbler, Orange-crowned Amaya Bechler When one spends the time, learns the names and behaviors This? Is Tummy Whose 10th Grade, Northcoast Preparatory Academy of the birds, inevitably one will come across something

BTGU Larry Goodhew 2 26 18 CC harbor B St.jpg Eye Contact your elected offi cials and let them know what you think about these and on other issues! Find contact information on page 13 of this issue, or online at https://www.usa.gov/elected-offi cials. Washington • T reatening Roadless Areas (National Forest required to request an incidental take permit (ITP). Dan Sealy, NEC Legislative Analyst land that has been set aside to protect it from the Noah Greenwald, Endangered Species Director Congress is currently wrestling with left-over bills impacts of development) by including a provision with the Center for Biological Diversity, wrote: “T is from 2018—the Farm Bill being one of the most that would open up millions of acres of pristine new memorandum essentially muzzles USFWS important. T ey also begin the 2019 federal funding forests—places where Americans come to hunt, fi sh, biologists from telling private landowners that they and fi nd solitude—to logging projects. need to apply for an incidental take permit when they authorizations in an attempt to avoid a government • shutdown in fall that could aff ect the 2018 Allowing the U.S. Forest Service to ignore will harm threatened or endangered species even November elections. impacts to Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed though it is USFWS’s job to ensure listed species are T is Congress—with both chambers held by a and sensitive species, wilderness areas, and other not harmed.” single party that also controls the White House—is extraordinary circumstances when approving the Appropriations use of NEPA exemptions. T e bill would allow the emboldened to pass as much legislation as possible National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) before the uncertain outcomes of the November U.S. Forest Service to waive endangered species elections. If the House, Senate, or both chambers consultations and determine that an activity is not T e NDAA, heard in the House in May, included switch to Democratic majorities, new committee likely to adversely impact listed species or critical anti-environmental riders that would block or remove habitat with only internal review. ESA protections for three species, weaken a core safeguard chairs and staff could change the course of all • legislation aff ecting conservation. Exempting farmers from needing permits of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and required under the Clean Water Act to apply circumvent longstanding protections for National Farm Bill (H.R. 2) pesticides on and around water sources—even those Wildlife Refuge System lands and other public lands by used for drinking water by communities downstream. overriding NEPA protections for land withdrawals. T e Farm Bill is must-pass legislation—in part • An amendment by Rep. Newhouse (R-WA) In a move that has some biologists concerned, the because the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance would allow the delisting of gray wolves nationwide. bill also moves management of anadromous fi sh (those Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Conservation organizations spend a great deal of that migrate from fresh to salt water) from the National Program, receives funding through this bill. T e Farm time and energy reporting concerns about bad bills to Marine Fisheries Service to the USFWS. Time will tell Bill also includes funding for many conservation their members and constituents each year. Typically if this is best for protected fi sh like salmon. programs and federal assistance for all things “farm,” the worst elements are removed when legislators T e bill undermines safeguards of the MMPA including fi re prevention assistance grants and realize how unpopular the proposals are. T is year by extending the period for permitting “take,” grants for farmers to provide for wildlife habitat. feels diff erent with so much media attention placed or potential killing, of marine mammals by the As of this writing, the Farm Bill is being held up in on White House drama. Environmental issues, Department of Defense from fi ve to 10 years. Marine the House by members of the conservative Freedom though important to citizens, rank low in terms of mammals are extremely diffi cult to monitor in the Caucus until the House acts on immigration reform immediacy. Some in Congress who see a narrow wild, so this would undermine critical safeguards and the Dreamers Act. window are forging ahead under the cover of other that ensure that the military uses up-to-date science As with all must-pass legislation, the Farm Bill important political concerns. and appropriate mitigation measures. attracts a wide array of amendments and riders— Take Action: Look up your representatives in T e bill would remove USFWS oversight of many of concern to conservationists, including: Congress (more information found at the top of • federal land transfers and circumvent the process Allowing the Environmental Protection the page) and share your concerns regarding riders for withdrawal of our public lands. T is could Agency (EPA) to make internal, self-serving and amendments that undermine protection of our limit the ability of the USFWS to engage in these determinations regarding the eff ects of toxic and environment, including endangered and sensitive Defense Department planning processes and potentially dangerous pesticides on endangered and species and their habitats. advise on wildlife management and threatened and threatened species without obligation to consult U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species conservation. with expert federal wildlife agencies. T e “Unlawful T e NEC, along with other conservation Acts” provision will shield pesticide manufacturers Leaders Forget the Mission organizations, opposes this authorization bill. and end-users from fear of citizen lawsuits for killing endangered wildlife if the EPA determines that Although the mission of the Fish and Wildlife National Oceanic and Atmospheric the pesticide won’t jeopardize listed species’ total Service (USFWS) is to protect our nation’s plants, Administration (NOAA) Appropriations populations or destroy critical habitat. animals, and habitats, USFWS staff can no longer T e House Appropriations Committee • Allowing approval of 6,000-acre logging advise builders when they need to obtain a permit approved the 2019 Commerce, Justice, Science projects without basic public review and oversight (mandated by law) to maintain endangered species (CJS) Appropriations bill that would broadly cut provided under the National Environmental Policy habitat, according to new Interior Department $62.5 billion from those departments, which Act (NEPA) and runs contrary to the fi re funding guidance. USFWS Principal Deputy Director Greg include NOAA, NASA, and the National Science and forestry compromise Congress reached (with Sheehan would remove USFWS oversight of federal Foundation. More than $750 million will be cut from input from conservation organizations) in the fi scal land transfers. He told staff it was “not appropriate” NOAA’s budget, including a 38 percent reduction 2018 omnibus bill. for personnel to tell private parties when they are for climate change programs.

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 12 Make your voice heard Get to Know the Players: Part Three Save this list of contacts for your reference Learn about the people in charge of our environmental and public lands agencies. Humboldt County Supervisors Dan Sealy, NEC Legislative Analyst 825 5th Street, Room 111 Eureka, CA 95501 In the Feb/Mar issue of EcoNews, we began a series to introduce the decision-makers in the current 1st District - Rex Bohn administration. T ose featured in this edition are part of the Department of Agriculture. Visit this article on our 707-476-2391 website for more information that could not be included in the print edition of EcoNews due to space limitations. [email protected] Full Disclosure: The author’s spouse is an employee of the USDA. He is a statistician with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, which conducts research on nutrition and farm issues relating primarily to small animal and crop farmers. 2nd District - Estelle Fennell Marches 707-476-2392 Continued f om previous page [email protected] Vicki Christiansen Contact Information: 3rd District - Mike Wilson Agency: U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture 707-476-2393 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Interim Chief (Christiansen [email protected] Title: Washington, DC 20250 replaces Chief Tony Tooke, who 202-205-8439 or 800-832-1355 4th District - Virginia Bass suddenly resigned March 7 after 707-476-2394 [email protected] [email protected] allegations of sexual misconduct were aired on the PBS program NewsHour. Offi cial Biography: https://www.fs.fed. 5th District - Ryan Sundberg Ms. Christiansen is not confi rmed.) us/about-agency/newsroom/leadership- 707-476-2395 biographies [email protected] Areas of Responsibility: T e United States Forest Service (USFS) manages Conservation Background: U.S. Senators - California 193 million acres of our public lands. Ms. Christiansen has spent most of her Six million of those acres are designated wilderness. career in the West. Prior to joining the USFS, she Senator Diane Feinstein T e USFS’s mission is to provide the nation with served as the Arizona State Forester and Director https://feinstein.senate.gov/public marketable timber through sustainable forestry, of the Arizona Division of Forestry. She also 331 Hart Senate Offi ce Building while making lands available for public recreation served in the Washington State Department of Washington, D.C., 20510 and protecting the nation’s natural and cultural Natural Resources for 26 years, attaining the title Phone: 202-224-3841 resources, including watersheds, rare species and of Washington State Forester—the lead forester for their habitats, and cultural landscapes. T irteen the state. Christiansen has received good marks Senator Kamala Harris USFS scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for from conservation organizations in Washington https://harris.senate.gov their work with the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel State and the Pacifi c Northwest. In Senate hearings, 112 Hart Senate Offi ce Building on Climate Change (which has been discarded by she has strongly supported science as the basis Washington, D.C., 20510 the Trump administration). Oh, and important for for forest management activities. “Where I thrive Phone: 202-224-3553 many—they are in charge of the care and feeding of the most is connecting people with their natural Look up other senators here: both Smokey the Bear and Woodsy the Owl. resources. T at is where I get my energy.” https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm U.S. Representative - California District 2 George Ervin ‘Sonny’ Contact Information: Congressman Jared Huff man Perdue U.S. Department of Agriculture https://huff man.house.gov 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. 1406 Longworth House Offi ce Building Agency: U.S. Department Washington, DC 20250 Washington, D.C., 20515 of Agriculture (USDA) Phone: 202-720-2791 Phone: 202-225-5161 Title: Secretary of Offi cial Biography: https://www.usda.gov/our- Look up other representatives here: Agriculture agency/about-usda/our-secretary https://www.house.gov/representatives Conservation Background: Sonny Perdue is a California Governor Areas of Responsibility: combination of farmer, businessman and politician. T e mission of the USDA Raised a Georgia dairy crop farmer, his father taught Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. is: “to provide leadership him: “If you take care of the land, the land will take https://www.gov.ca.gov on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural care of you.” He received his Doctor of Veterinary Governor Edmund G. Brown development, nutrition, and related issues based Medicine from the University of Georgia and is an avid c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 on public policy, the best available science, and sportsman. Perdue is a founding partner of Perdue Sacramento, CA 95814 eff ective management.” T e USDA administers over Partners, LLC and successfully managed some of the Phone: 916-445-2841 15 agencies—including the land-rich U.S. Forest most recognized consumer brands in America, such Look up California state legislators here: Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection as Reebok and Sara Lee. In political professional life he http://fi ndyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ Service (APHIS), Rural Development, and the SNAP served in the Georgia State Senate and as Governor of program that provides supplemental nutrition to Georgia. As Governor, he sued the EPA and ridiculed Looking for someone not on this list? over 42 million Americans. T e Congressionally climate change, and liberals in general. In response to www.usa.gov/elected-officials approved USDA budget for 2018 is approximately a drought in Georgia, Governor Perdue led a day of $137 billion. prayer on the steps of the state capitol to pray for rain.

13 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews Make your voice heard Get to Know the Players: Part Three Cell Phone, Wallet, Keys… Save this list of contacts for your reference Learn about the people in charge of our environmental and public lands agencies. Reusable Water Bottle! Humboldt County Supervisors Dan Sealy, NEC Legislative Analyst 825 5th Street, Room 111 eff ort to “refi ll, not landfi ll.” Eureka, CA 95501 In the Feb/Mar issue of EcoNews, we began a series to introduce the decision-makers in the current Zero Waste Humboldt’s Refi ll 1st District - Rex Bohn administration. T ose featured in this edition are part of the Department of Agriculture. Visit this article on our Not Landfi ll: Bottle Filling Station 707-476-2391 website for more information that could not be included in the print edition of EcoNews due to space limitations. Kristian M. Salgado Project focuses on reducing the [email protected] Full Disclosure: The author’s spouse is an employee of the USDA. He is a statistician with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Over the years, it has become commonplace to amount of single-use plastic water which conducts research on nutrition and farm issues relating primarily to small animal and crop farmers. 2nd District - Estelle Fennell see our friends and family make an eff ort to carry bottles in Humboldt County’s Marches 707-476-2392 their reusable water bottles with them wherever they waste stream by collaborating Continued f om previous page [email protected] Vicki Christiansen Contact Information: go. When people leave their homes, no longer do they with cities and school districts 3rd District - Mike Wilson Agency: U.S. Forest Service U.S. Department of Agriculture just check for their cell phone, wallet, and keys, but to update public drinking water 707-476-2393 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. also for their reusable bottles. Choosing to reuse is a accessibility. Since the start of the Title: Interim Chief (Christiansen [email protected] Washington, DC 20250 step in the right direction towards reducing single- Refi ll Not Landfi ll: Bottle Filling replaces Chief Tony Tooke, who 202-205-8439 or 800-832-1355 use plastic water bottles in Humboldt County—but Station Project in 2015, Zero 4th District - Virginia Bass suddenly resigned March 7 after 707-476-2394 [email protected] Waste Humboldt, with funding allegations of sexual misconduct were accessibility to water can still be a challenge. [email protected] from the Footprint Foundation, aired on the PBS program NewsHour. Offi cial Biography: https://www.fs.fed. A handful of local businesses, such as Los 5th District - Ryan Sundberg Ms. Christiansen is not confi rmed.) us/about-agency/newsroom/leadership- Bagels and Northtown Coff ee, have taken a stand Strong Foundation, Mad River 707-476-2395 biographies and removed single-use plastic water bottles from Rotary, and Coast Central Credit [email protected] Areas of Responsibility: T e United Conservation Background: their shelves and instead provide an alternative for Union, and the support of local States Forest Service (USFS) manages consumers to refi ll their reusable bottles in order partners, have installed three U.S. Senators - California 193 million acres of our public lands. Ms. Christiansen has spent most of her Reusable, refi llable water bottles come in a variety of styles. Don’t leave home without to stay hydrated. However, unless you go into a indoor bottle-refi lling stations in Six million of those acres are designated wilderness. career in the West. Prior to joining the USFS, she one! Photo: yourbestdigs, Flickr. com CC. restaurant or coff ee shop, there isn’t always a place public buildings, with three more Senator Diane Feinstein T e USFS’s mission is to provide the nation with served as the Arizona State Forester and Director to refi ll water bottles, especially in public spaces like currently being installed. Central Credit Union. Installation is planned for https://feinstein.senate.gov/public marketable timber through sustainable forestry, of the Arizona Division of Forestry. She also parks and community centers. T e most recent projects are at the Municipal summer 2018, so we hope that come fall, community 331 Hart Senate Offi ce Building while making lands available for public recreation served in the Washington State Department of Zero Waste Humboldt recognizes that an Auditorium located at 1120 F Street in Eureka, the D members will have one less barrier to practicing Zero Washington, D.C., 20510 and protecting the nation’s natural and cultural Natural Resources for 26 years, attaining the title Street Neighborhood Center located at 1301 D Street Phone: 202-224-3841 resources, including watersheds, rare species and of Washington State Forester—the lead forester for important part of reducing Humboldt County’s need Waste behaviors in Humboldt County. Furthermore, in Arcata, and Prasch Hall located at 312 S Railroad their habitats, and cultural landscapes. T irteen the state. Christiansen has received good marks for single-use plastic water bottles is not just banning in the near future, Zero Waste Humboldt hopes to Senator Kamala Harris Ave. in Blue Lake—all graciously funded by Coast USFS scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for from conservation organizations in Washington them, but also building the necessary infrastructure be able to continue branching out to other locations, https://harris.senate.gov their work with the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel State and the Pacifi c Northwest. In Senate hearings, throughout the community to increase access to such as McKinleyville and Fortuna, and support the 112 Hart Senate Offi ce Building on Climate Change (which has been discarded by she has strongly supported science as the basis clean and convenient drinking water. T is means Zero Waste Humboldt eff orts of all communities in Humboldt County to Washington, D.C., 20510 the Trump administration). Oh, and important for for forest management activities. “Where I thrive updating water fountains and installing bottle- reduce their water bottle consumption. Lets keep Phone: 202-224-3553 [email protected] many—they are in charge of the care and feeding of the most is connecting people with their natural refi lling stations in locations where the community choosing to reuse, and don’t forget your reusable Look up other senators here: both Smokey the Bear and Woodsy the Owl. resources. T at is where I get my energy.” can most benefi t from their use, supporting the water bottle next time you leave the house! https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm U.S. Representative - California District 2 George Ervin ‘Sonny’ Contact Information: Congressman Jared Huff man Perdue U.S. Department of Agriculture HOUSE FOR SALE https://huff man.house.gov 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. 1406 Longworth House Offi ce Building Agency: U.S. Department Washington, DC 20250 In protected old growth redwood Washington, D.C., 20515 of Agriculture (USDA) Phone: 202-720-2791 forest neighborhood on the Phone: 202-225-5161 Inc. Offi cial Biography: https://www.usda.gov/our- South Fork Eel River, near shopping. NCCS Title: Secretary of Look up other representatives here: Agriculture agency/about-usda/our-secretary 3 small bedrooms, plus cabin. $349,000 https://www.house.gov/representatives Conservation Background: Sonny Perdue is a North Coast Cleaning Services California Governor Areas of Responsibility: combination of farmer, businessman and politician. T e mission of the USDA Raised a Georgia dairy crop farmer, his father taught The Green Cleaning Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. is: “to provide leadership him: “If you take care of the land, the land will take https://www.gov.ca.gov on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural care of you.” He received his Doctor of Veterinary Specialists Governor Edmund G. Brown development, nutrition, and related issues based Medicine from the University of Georgia and is an avid c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 on public policy, the best available science, and sportsman. Perdue is a founding partner of Perdue Commercial office cleaning, Sacramento, CA 95814 eff ective management.” T e USDA administers over Partners, LLC and successfully managed some of the window cleaning, and Phone: 916-445-2841 15 agencies—including the land-rich U.S. Forest most recognized consumer brands in America, such Look up California state legislators here: Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection as Reebok and Sara Lee. In political professional life he carpet cleaning services. http://fi ndyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ Service (APHIS), Rural Development, and the SNAP served in the Georgia State Senate and as Governor of program that provides supplemental nutrition to Georgia. As Governor, he sued the EPA and ridiculed www.northcoastcleaning.com Looking for someone not on this list? over 42 million Americans. T e Congressionally climate change, and liberals in general. In response to 707-269-0180 www.usa.gov/elected-officials approved USDA budget for 2018 is approximately a drought in Georgia, Governor Perdue led a day of $137 billion. prayer on the steps of the state capitol to pray for rain. 707-923-4408 PO Box 177, Eureka, CA 95502

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 14 14 The Environmental Protection Information Center ep c Photo By Jon Parmentier Mercury Guidelines for Eating Humboldt Marten Update

on the marten at its August meeting in Fortuna. Humboldt Bay Fish & Shellfish Tom Wheeler, Executive Director EPIC knows better than to believe this. EPIC Pushes for Trapping Ban for food chain, since mercury accumulates in older to eat and feed their families year round, since they T e Humboldt marten, a small carnivore Jennifer Kalt, Director Oregon Martens predatory fi sh. Salmon, oysters, and clams are very often consume many meals from one large animal. related to minks and otters found only in old- Fish consumption is the major route of mercury low in mercury. Dungeness crab and locally caught T ere are no known local sources of mercury in the growth forest and dense coastal shrub in Northern EPIC and four sister conservation exposure in the United States, but there are many albacore are relatively safe in moderation, but Humboldt Bay area. Mercury was used in historic gold California and Southern and Central Coast regions organizations fi led a rule-making petition health benefi ts of eating fi sh that is low in mercury, California halibut, lingcod under 10 pounds, and mining in the Klamath, Trinity, and Russian Rivers, but in Oregon, is one of EPIC’s focal species. T e asking the Oregon Department of Fish PCBs, and other contaminants. Fish is high in Pacifi c halibut under 40 pounds should be eaten less is not known to have been used near Humboldt Bay Humboldt marten’s population is so small that the and Wildlife to ban trapping of Humboldt protein and low in fat, and is an important source frequently. Sharks and some species of rockfi sh are or in the adjacent Eel and Mad River watersheds. species was thought to be extinct until researchers, martens in Oregon’s coastal forests. While the of omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart health long-lived predators that should be avoided entirely T e primary source of mercury in the U.S. is acting on a rumor, rediscovered the species in 1996. marten is under review for protection under and brain functions. But until now, there has been due to high mercury levels. Black rockfi sh, also pollution from coal-burning power plants around Today, there are less than 100 Humboldt martens the federal Endangered Species Act and the little known about mercury levels in Humboldt Bay known as black snapper, is a shorter-lived species the world. Mercury is emitted into the atmosphere left in California. T is number is so low that a single California Endangered Species Act, they can fi s h a n d s h e l l fi s h . that can be safely eaten more frequently. wherever coal is burned and deposited across event—disease, poisoning, fi re—could eradicate all still be trapped for their fur in Oregon, even In 2016, Baykeeper was awarded a grant from Our results are especially important for people western North America. A recent study found that Humboldt martens from California. though fewer than 100 survive in the Siuslaw Here’s a rundown of the work EPIC has done in and Siskiyou National Forests. the California Environmental Protection Agency to who eat more fi sh than the average Americans: coastal fog deposits mercury at higher levels than Humboldt marten, photo captured October 9, 2015. Photo: Mark sample local fi sh and shellfi sh. Working with fi sheries including tribal members; sport and subsistence rainwater in Central California. the past year to help protect our favorite mustelid. Linnell, USFS. T e petition follows a new study that found consultant Ross Taylor, the Wiyot Tribe, and dozens anglers; commercial fi shermen; and anyone who To download the printable guidelines and the EPIC Defeats U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Green Diamond Pushes for Safe Harbor that trapping could easily wipe out the species in the of local anglers, we spent nearly two years catching tends to freeze, smoke, or pressure cook and can fi sh full report, visit www.humboldtbaykeeper.org. in Court Agreement While Agency Stalls Protections state. A newly published scientifi c study concluded Humboldt Bay fi sh to sample. In response to a lawsuit brought by the that Humboldt martens are so rare in Oregon that Our results include both good news and bad Environmental Protection Information Center and EPIC and allies fi led a petition with the California trapping just two to three individuals could result news. In short, the best way to avoid mercury Earth Day Cleanup Volunteers Removed 3,020 Pounds of Trash the Center for Biological Diversity in 2017, a federal Fish and Game Commission to list the Humboldt in wiping out the population on the Central Coast. exposure while eating lots of healthy local fi sh is to judge overturned an April 2014 decision by the U.S. marten as an endangered species in California back In addition to trapping, Humboldt martens are eat small, short-lived species that eat lower on the On April 22, an Fish and Wildlife Service denying endangered species in June of 2015. As part of the listing process, the threatened by vehicle collisions on Highway 101 and enthusiastic crew of protection to the Humboldt marten. EPIC sought to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) ongoing logging of mature forest habitat. is supposed to prepare a report on 20 Baykeeper volunteers, list the marten in 2010 after new research showed Photo: Charlotte Eriksson, Oregon State University. 16 Coast Seafood that the already low population was in decline— whether science indicates that the listing employees, and three down 42% since the species was rediscovered—and is warranted, a necessary step before the Humboldt Bay Aquatic was perilously close to extinction. As a result of the Fish and Game Commission can act. Center guides paddled lawsuit, the Fish and Wildlife Service will have to T at report is over two years tardy. Why? over to Indian Island revisit its decision by October 2018 on the fate of Timber industry pressure. and, in just a few hours, our furry friends. EPIC will be watching the agency’s CDFW is working with Green removed more than decision closely. Diamond Resource Company on a potential Safe Harbor Agreement for 3,000 pounds of trash! Humboldt marten October 8, 2015. Photo: Mark Linnell, USFS. Thanks to everyone the marten (voluntary conservation who spent part of measures on its industrial timberlands). their weekend keeping If approved, this Safe Harbor Agreement trash out of Humboldt would remove the critical protections Bay! We’ll do it again of the listing itself. EPIC has tried to on Coastal Cleanup obtain copies of documents from CDFW Day September 15— through the Public Records Act, but has all gear provided and been stonewalled to date. Rumor is that no paddling experience the Safe Harbor Agreement won’t even necessary (and it’s materially improve Green Diamond’s free!). Join us! timber operations, allowing the company Coast Seafood employees to continue to clearcut the lands most (above) and Humboldt critical for marten protection, habitat Baykeeper volunteers connectivity, and species conservation. (below) helped clean 3,200 pounds of trash from CDFW denies all of this, of course, Indian Island on Earth Day. and says that the Fish and Game Photo: Jennifer Kalt. Commission should be ready to decide

15 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews The Environmental Protection Information Center ep c Photo By Jon Parmentier Humboldt Marten Update

on the marten at its August meeting in Fortuna. Tom Wheeler, Executive Director EPIC knows better than to believe this. T e Humboldt marten, a small carnivore EPIC Pushes for Trapping Ban for related to minks and otters found only in old- Oregon Martens growth forest and dense coastal shrub in Northern EPIC and four sister conservation California and Southern and Central Coast regions organizations fi led a rule-making petition in Oregon, is one of EPIC’s focal species. T e asking the Oregon Department of Fish Humboldt marten’s population is so small that the and Wildlife to ban trapping of Humboldt species was thought to be extinct until researchers, martens in Oregon’s coastal forests. While the acting on a rumor, rediscovered the species in 1996. marten is under review for protection under Today, there are less than 100 Humboldt martens the federal Endangered Species Act and the left in California. T is number is so low that a single California Endangered Species Act, they can event—disease, poisoning, fi re—could eradicate all still be trapped for their fur in Oregon, even Humboldt martens from California. though fewer than 100 survive in the Siuslaw Here’s a rundown of the work EPIC has done in and Siskiyou National Forests. Humboldt marten, photo captured October 9, 2015. Photo: Mark the past year to help protect our favorite mustelid. Linnell, USFS. T e petition follows a new study that found EPIC Defeats U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Green Diamond Pushes for Safe Harbor that trapping could easily wipe out the species in the in Court Agreement While Agency Stalls Protections state. A newly published scientifi c study concluded In response to a lawsuit brought by the that Humboldt martens are so rare in Oregon that Environmental Protection Information Center and EPIC and allies fi led a petition with the California trapping just two to three individuals could result the Center for Biological Diversity in 2017, a federal Fish and Game Commission to list the Humboldt in wiping out the population on the Central Coast. judge overturned an April 2014 decision by the U.S. marten as an endangered species in California back In addition to trapping, Humboldt martens are Fish and Wildlife Service denying endangered species in June of 2015. As part of the listing process, the threatened by vehicle collisions on Highway 101 and protection to the Humboldt marten. EPIC sought to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) ongoing logging of mature forest habitat. is supposed to prepare a report on list the marten in 2010 after new research showed Photo: Charlotte Eriksson, Oregon State University. that the already low population was in decline— whether science indicates that the listing down 42% since the species was rediscovered—and is warranted, a necessary step before the was perilously close to extinction. As a result of the Fish and Game Commission can act. lawsuit, the Fish and Wildlife Service will have to T at report is over two years tardy. Why? revisit its decision by October 2018 on the fate of Timber industry pressure. our furry friends. EPIC will be watching the agency’s CDFW is working with Green decision closely. Diamond Resource Company on a potential Safe Harbor Agreement for Humboldt marten October 8, 2015. Photo: Mark Linnell, USFS. the marten (voluntary conservation measures on its industrial timberlands). If approved, this Safe Harbor Agreement would remove the critical protections of the listing itself. EPIC has tried to obtain copies of documents from CDFW through the Public Records Act, but has been stonewalled to date. Rumor is that the Safe Harbor Agreement won’t even materially improve Green Diamond’s timber operations, allowing the company to continue to clearcut the lands most critical for marten protection, habitat connectivity, and species conservation. CDFW denies all of this, of course, and says that the Fish and Game Commission should be ready to decide

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 16 NORTH GROUP NORTHCOAST REDWOOD CHAPTER CHAPTER

Beginners and experts, non-members and members June 10, Sunday. 1-3 p.m. Grass Appreciation for the weather. Meet at 9 a.m. at Pacifi c Union School, Science Projects Receive Awards are all welcome at our programs and on our outings. Walk with Claire Brown in the Arcata Marsh. Grass 9:30 a.m. at the Kohls end of Bayshore Mall parking lot, Almost all of our events are free. All of our events are fl owers are intricate and beautiful, especially when you or arrange another place. Tell Carol you are coming and Sue Leskiw made possible by volunteer ef ort. if you are interested in camping in the park Saturday Events Visit www.northcoastcnps.org for more info. learn where to look. Get your grass in gear and join us For the 12th year, North for a slow walk to learn to recognize and appreciate our night (707-822-2015; [email protected]). Group sponsored an award One need not be a Sierra Club member to participate in these outings. Please join us! local grasses. Grass anatomy, terminology, and ecology for the best project relating Field Trips & Plant Walks will be discussed and admired, and species encountered July 6-8, Friday-Sunday. Scott Mountain Campout to environmental issues at Saturday, June 9—North Group Smith River NRA- Jedediah Smith State Park Hike. From the trailhead June 3, Sunday. 1-3 p.m. Wildfl owers on Hikshari’ identifi ed. Meet at the Arcata Marsh, in the Klopp Lake and Russian Wilderness Day Hike. Saturday’s the annual Humboldt County off South Fork Road, we climb past a succession of Trail. Join us on Eureka’s Hikshari’ Trail to see parking lot at the south end of I Street. For information, feature hike will be to Duck Lake or Sugar Lake, both in Science Fair held in mid botanical communities and stunning views to about wildfl owers, both native and non-native. Blue-eyed email Claire at [email protected]. a hotspot of conifer diversity in the Russian Wilderness March. (T e projects were 2000 feet through serpentine, and end up in redwoods at grass, yarrow, twinberry, Douglas iris, and the rare (Duck Lakes Botanical Area in Klamath National so competitive in 2018 that a Howland Hill Road. Bring food, water, good hiking boots, Humboldt Bay owl’s-clover will be in bloom along this June 16, Saturday. Humboldt Redwoods State Forest). T e trails are challenging, but the wildfl owers second prize was given.) and a hat. No dogs. Medium diffi culty,10 miles, less than 3/4-mile section of the trail. Experienced interpreter Park Day Hike. “So much in so short a distance” is are rewarding. T e trailheads are four miles south of T e $50 fi rst-place award 2000 feet elevation change. One-way hike with a car and gardener and Hikshari’ Volunteer Trail Steward the description of the Sa-Bug-Gah-Nah Loop Trail, Etna in the Scott Valley. Friday and Saturday nights we went to Anneli and Mathilde shuttle. Meet 9:30 a.m. Hiouchi Ranger Station (Hwy. 199 opposite Jedediah Smith Campground entrance). By Coordinator Wanda Naylor will point out what is connected to the Hidden Springs Beach Trail in T e will stay at the primitive Forest Service campground Macdonald, 8th graders at native and what is not—and why we care. Meet at the Best Short Hikes in Redwood National and State Parks at Scott Mountain Summit, or you may choose Jacoby Creek School. T ey reservation only. Leader Ned: [email protected], 707-825-3652 message phone. Bad weather cancels. Elk River Slough Parking area at the end of Hilfi ker (Rhode and Rhode, 2004). Its 1.1 miles include redwood accommodations in the Etna/Weaverville area. Sunday investigated whether levels of Street, Eureka, just south of Bayshore Mall. Rain or forest, riparian forest, river beach, river canyon, and we will fi nd a shorter hike to do before we head home. a nitrogen isotope (15N) found Saturday, June 23—North Group Russ Park’s Lytel “and oversized rock garden” on a rocky cliff . Redwood If you are thinking of coming, tell Carol and get the Ridge Trail Hike. Climb switchbacks in Ferndale’s shine. Children welcome when accompanied by an in tree rings (by decade) of a adult. For more information, call 707-502-5793. lilies might be blooming. Bring lunch and water; dress logistics (707-822-2015; [email protected]). Sitka spruce near Freshwater “verdant wilderness park,” through thickets of thimbleberry and passing scenic look-outs of the Eel Creek could be correlated with River Valley, shady canyons fi lled with fern, and a pond in populations of past salmon runs a Sitka spruce forest. We will lunch in a redwood, grand in that creek. Above: Anneli and Mathilde Macdonald, 8th graders at Jacoby Creek School, stand in Dudleya Poaching on Coast front of their fi rst-place project about nitrogen isotopes in tree rings. Below: Samantha fi r, and alder grove and then return, passing through a Anneli and Mathilde eucalyptus grove. Wear long sleeves and pants because California hosts a number of bluff lettuce (Dudleya) Gaiera, second-place prize winner. Photos courtesy of Sierra Club, North Group. species and subspecies, including some that are rare or hypothesized that as fi sh of poison oak and stinging nettles. Bring water and at risk of extinction. In April of this year, poachers were Plants for Sale at the Kneeland Glen Farm Stand numbers have decreased over as pH decreased and tested it by lunch. Friendly dogs OK on leash. Medium diffi culty, 1.5 caught stripping thousands of these succulent plants the past 40 years, the marine- infusing carbon dioxide (CO2) into jars miles, less than 1000 feet elevation change. Carpools: from sea cliff s and shipping them overseas to other Native plants grown by the North Coast CNPS Chapter Nursery are available derived nitrogen in spruce of sea water containing copepods. She Meet at 10 a.m. at the Elk River Road/Herrick Park & Ride countries. CNPS joined CDFW, California State Parks, all summer at the Kneeland Glen Farm Stand, including a wide selection would decline also. When used a species that can survive extreme lot (off Highway 101 South). Leader Allison: 707-268- and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in planting rescued bluff environmental changes, so if that 8767. Rain cancels. lettuce back on beachside bluff s. The removal of these of annuals, perennials, and native bulbs. Open daily from noon till 6 p.m. salmon smolts go to the ocean, succulents can result in environmental degradation of they eat organisms that contain organism was aff ected, “implications Saturday, July 14—North Group Redwood National habitat and a destabilization of bluff s and cliff s on the For a current list of plants at our nursery, visit our chapter website (www. concentrated 15N. When adults for less resilient species are a cause for Park Trillium and Lost Man Trails Hike. Come and coastline. Photo: Michael Kauff mann. northcoastcnps.org). Orders for pick-up at the farm stand can be arranged return to their home creek to concern” (plus copepods are the base of enjoy the redwoods in the summer! This hike passes a spawn, they die and decompose the marine food chain). Survivorship in mossy waterfall and blooming trillium on the Trillium by writing to [email protected]. Trail and then continues up Lost Man Creek through old into the river or its bank. Plants the control samples was 100 percent, growth redwoods and maples before returning. Bring take nitrogen from the soil; thus, compared to 63 percent in the test water and lunch. No dogs. Medium diffi culty, 10 miles, marine-derived nitrogen from samples. [An interesting sidebar to her less than 1000 feet elevation change. Carpools: Meet 9 the salmon is used by trees near experiment was that her grandfather’s a.m. Valley West (Ray’s Food Place) parking lot, or 9:30 the water. Master’s thesis studied how salinity a.m. trailhead Elk Meadow Day Use Area off Davison Rd. T e girls found a strong correlation (coeffi cient and temperature aff ect copepods!] By reservation only. Leader Ned: nedforsyth48@gmail. of 0.69) between the spruce within 25 meters of Both projects were among the only 16 selected to com, 707-825-3652. Rain cancels. the creek and past salmon runs, whereas another represent Humboldt County in the California State Saturday, July 21—North Group Guthrie Creek Dog spruce 200 meters away from the creek had almost Science Fair competition held in late April. Walk. Bring your canine friend for a great walk on a trail no correlation (coeffi cient 0.006). T us, the 15N in south of Centerville Beach. While the walk is rated easy, tree cores could be used to roughly estimate past the return from the beach follows an old ranch road salmon populations in a creek. [T e twins also won Please Join Us! with an elevation gain of 400 feet. Dogs will be required fi rst place from North Group in 2017 for a project The North Group’s Executive Committee meets on the to stay on leash but will have the opportunity to run off second Tuesday of each month in the fi rst fl oor conference leash and swim in the lagoon near the mouth of Guthrie on how log jams aff ected macroinvertebrates in Creek. There should be outstanding views north and Freshwater Creek.] room at the Adorni Center on the waterfront in Eureka. The meeting, which covers regular business and conservation south as the walk descends to the beach. Limited to A $25 second-place prize was awarded to issues, begins at 6:45 p.m. Members and non-members with 10 friendly dogs on leashes and their persons. Children Samantha Gaiera, an 8th grader at Sunny Brae environmental concerns are encouraged to attend. When welcome with parent. Easy hike, 2 miles, less than 1000 Middle School. She investigated the question: how a new person comes to us with an environmental issue or feet elevation change. Carpools: Meet at 10 a.m. at the does ocean acidifi cation aff ect copepod mortality? concern, we often place them fi rst or early on the agenda. Elk River Road/Herrick Park & Ride lot (off of Highway Samantha thought that survivorship would decrease 101 South). Leader Allison: 707-268-8767.

17 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews NORTH GROUP NORTHCOAST REDWOOD CHAPTER CHAPTER

Beginners and experts, non-members and members June 10, Sunday. 1-3 p.m. Grass Appreciation for the weather. Meet at 9 a.m. at Pacifi c Union School, Science Projects Receive Awards are all welcome at our programs and on our outings. Walk with Claire Brown in the Arcata Marsh. Grass 9:30 a.m. at the Kohls end of Bayshore Mall parking lot, Almost all of our events are free. All of our events are fl owers are intricate and beautiful, especially when you or arrange another place. Tell Carol you are coming and Sue Leskiw made possible by volunteer ef ort. if you are interested in camping in the park Saturday Events Visit www.northcoastcnps.org for more info. learn where to look. Get your grass in gear and join us For the 12th year, North for a slow walk to learn to recognize and appreciate our night (707-822-2015; [email protected]). Group sponsored an award One need not be a Sierra Club member to participate in these outings. Please join us! local grasses. Grass anatomy, terminology, and ecology for the best project relating Field Trips & Plant Walks will be discussed and admired, and species encountered July 6-8, Friday-Sunday. Scott Mountain Campout to environmental issues at Saturday, June 9—North Group Smith River NRA- Jedediah Smith State Park Hike. From the trailhead June 3, Sunday. 1-3 p.m. Wildfl owers on Hikshari’ identifi ed. Meet at the Arcata Marsh, in the Klopp Lake and Russian Wilderness Day Hike. Saturday’s the annual Humboldt County off South Fork Road, we climb past a succession of Trail. Join us on Eureka’s Hikshari’ Trail to see parking lot at the south end of I Street. For information, feature hike will be to Duck Lake or Sugar Lake, both in Science Fair held in mid botanical communities and stunning views to about wildfl owers, both native and non-native. Blue-eyed email Claire at [email protected]. a hotspot of conifer diversity in the Russian Wilderness March. (T e projects were 2000 feet through serpentine, and end up in redwoods at grass, yarrow, twinberry, Douglas iris, and the rare (Duck Lakes Botanical Area in Klamath National so competitive in 2018 that a Howland Hill Road. Bring food, water, good hiking boots, Humboldt Bay owl’s-clover will be in bloom along this June 16, Saturday. Humboldt Redwoods State Forest). T e trails are challenging, but the wildfl owers second prize was given.) and a hat. No dogs. Medium diffi culty,10 miles, less than 3/4-mile section of the trail. Experienced interpreter Park Day Hike. “So much in so short a distance” is are rewarding. T e trailheads are four miles south of T e $50 fi rst-place award 2000 feet elevation change. One-way hike with a car and gardener and Hikshari’ Volunteer Trail Steward the description of the Sa-Bug-Gah-Nah Loop Trail, Etna in the Scott Valley. Friday and Saturday nights we went to Anneli and Mathilde shuttle. Meet 9:30 a.m. Hiouchi Ranger Station (Hwy. 199 opposite Jedediah Smith Campground entrance). By Coordinator Wanda Naylor will point out what is connected to the Hidden Springs Beach Trail in T e will stay at the primitive Forest Service campground Macdonald, 8th graders at native and what is not—and why we care. Meet at the Best Short Hikes in Redwood National and State Parks at Scott Mountain Summit, or you may choose Jacoby Creek School. T ey reservation only. Leader Ned: [email protected], 707-825-3652 message phone. Bad weather cancels. Elk River Slough Parking area at the end of Hilfi ker (Rhode and Rhode, 2004). Its 1.1 miles include redwood accommodations in the Etna/Weaverville area. Sunday investigated whether levels of Street, Eureka, just south of Bayshore Mall. Rain or forest, riparian forest, river beach, river canyon, and we will fi nd a shorter hike to do before we head home. a nitrogen isotope (15N) found Saturday, June 23—North Group Russ Park’s Lytel “and oversized rock garden” on a rocky cliff . Redwood If you are thinking of coming, tell Carol and get the Ridge Trail Hike. Climb switchbacks in Ferndale’s shine. Children welcome when accompanied by an in tree rings (by decade) of a adult. For more information, call 707-502-5793. lilies might be blooming. Bring lunch and water; dress logistics (707-822-2015; [email protected]). Sitka spruce near Freshwater “verdant wilderness park,” through thickets of thimbleberry and passing scenic look-outs of the Eel Creek could be correlated with River Valley, shady canyons fi lled with fern, and a pond in populations of past salmon runs a Sitka spruce forest. We will lunch in a redwood, grand in that creek. Above: Anneli and Mathilde Macdonald, 8th graders at Jacoby Creek School, stand in Dudleya Poaching on Coast front of their fi rst-place project about nitrogen isotopes in tree rings. Below: Samantha fi r, and alder grove and then return, passing through a Anneli and Mathilde eucalyptus grove. Wear long sleeves and pants because California hosts a number of bluff lettuce (Dudleya) Gaiera, second-place prize winner. Photos courtesy of Sierra Club, North Group. species and subspecies, including some that are rare or hypothesized that as fi sh of poison oak and stinging nettles. Bring water and at risk of extinction. In April of this year, poachers were Plants for Sale at the Kneeland Glen Farm Stand numbers have decreased over as pH decreased and tested it by lunch. Friendly dogs OK on leash. Medium diffi culty, 1.5 caught stripping thousands of these succulent plants the past 40 years, the marine- infusing carbon dioxide (CO2) into jars miles, less than 1000 feet elevation change. Carpools: from sea cliff s and shipping them overseas to other Native plants grown by the North Coast CNPS Chapter Nursery are available derived nitrogen in spruce of sea water containing copepods. She Meet at 10 a.m. at the Elk River Road/Herrick Park & Ride countries. CNPS joined CDFW, California State Parks, all summer at the Kneeland Glen Farm Stand, including a wide selection would decline also. When used a species that can survive extreme lot (off Highway 101 South). Leader Allison: 707-268- and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in planting rescued bluff environmental changes, so if that 8767. Rain cancels. lettuce back on beachside bluff s. The removal of these of annuals, perennials, and native bulbs. Open daily from noon till 6 p.m. salmon smolts go to the ocean, succulents can result in environmental degradation of they eat organisms that contain organism was aff ected, “implications Saturday, July 14—North Group Redwood National habitat and a destabilization of bluff s and cliff s on the For a current list of plants at our nursery, visit our chapter website (www. concentrated 15N. When adults for less resilient species are a cause for Park Trillium and Lost Man Trails Hike. Come and coastline. Photo: Michael Kauff mann. northcoastcnps.org). Orders for pick-up at the farm stand can be arranged return to their home creek to concern” (plus copepods are the base of enjoy the redwoods in the summer! This hike passes a spawn, they die and decompose the marine food chain). Survivorship in mossy waterfall and blooming trillium on the Trillium by writing to [email protected]. Trail and then continues up Lost Man Creek through old into the river or its bank. Plants the control samples was 100 percent, growth redwoods and maples before returning. Bring take nitrogen from the soil; thus, compared to 63 percent in the test water and lunch. No dogs. Medium diffi culty, 10 miles, marine-derived nitrogen from samples. [An interesting sidebar to her less than 1000 feet elevation change. Carpools: Meet 9 the salmon is used by trees near experiment was that her grandfather’s a.m. Valley West (Ray’s Food Place) parking lot, or 9:30 the water. Master’s thesis studied how salinity a.m. trailhead Elk Meadow Day Use Area off Davison Rd. T e girls found a strong correlation (coeffi cient and temperature aff ect copepods!] By reservation only. Leader Ned: nedforsyth48@gmail. of 0.69) between the spruce within 25 meters of Both projects were among the only 16 selected to com, 707-825-3652. Rain cancels. the creek and past salmon runs, whereas another represent Humboldt County in the California State Saturday, July 21—North Group Guthrie Creek Dog spruce 200 meters away from the creek had almost Science Fair competition held in late April. Walk. Bring your canine friend for a great walk on a trail no correlation (coeffi cient 0.006). T us, the 15N in south of Centerville Beach. While the walk is rated easy, tree cores could be used to roughly estimate past the return from the beach follows an old ranch road salmon populations in a creek. [T e twins also won Please Join Us! with an elevation gain of 400 feet. Dogs will be required fi rst place from North Group in 2017 for a project The North Group’s Executive Committee meets on the to stay on leash but will have the opportunity to run off second Tuesday of each month in the fi rst fl oor conference leash and swim in the lagoon near the mouth of Guthrie on how log jams aff ected macroinvertebrates in Creek. There should be outstanding views north and Freshwater Creek.] room at the Adorni Center on the waterfront in Eureka. The meeting, which covers regular business and conservation south as the walk descends to the beach. Limited to A $25 second-place prize was awarded to issues, begins at 6:45 p.m. Members and non-members with 10 friendly dogs on leashes and their persons. Children Samantha Gaiera, an 8th grader at Sunny Brae environmental concerns are encouraged to attend. When welcome with parent. Easy hike, 2 miles, less than 1000 Middle School. She investigated the question: how a new person comes to us with an environmental issue or feet elevation change. Carpools: Meet at 10 a.m. at the does ocean acidifi cation aff ect copepod mortality? concern, we often place them fi rst or early on the agenda. Elk River Road/Herrick Park & Ride lot (off of Highway Samantha thought that survivorship would decrease 101 South). Leader Allison: 707-268-8767.

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 18 LNG 9th Street Biomass Continued f om page 10 Continued f om page 5 Continued f om page 6

T e climate impacts of the Jordan Cove LNG are ...build upon. Following that course of action would ...Redwood Coast Energy Authority. However, many. Establishing the kind of infrastructure that’s have left the soil contaminated, potentially impacting blanket statements like Pruitt’s risk more than just proposed in the pipeline would be “locking us into groundwater, and possibly Jolly Giant Creek, which playing with the facts—they risk investing in the 20 to 30 years of more fossil fuels use”—the opposite drains to Humboldt Bay. T e NEC Board of Directors wrong forms of electrical infrastructure, delaying direction we need to go in to stave off catastrophic felt that the only ethical course of action was to seek our ability to move to a post-carbon energy climate change. LNG has an even heavier footprint grant funds to ensure the lot is clean before selling it. grid and economy. than non-manipulated natural gas. LNG is fracked An old underground heating oil storage tank A 2018 study from MIT found that pellet gas that’s liquifi ed by cooling it down to -260 was removed, and once the perc was discovered, biomass facilities in Europe emitted more carbon degrees Fahrenheit. It is more easily shipped in this monitoring wells were installed and sampling of soil, than an equivalent coal-fi red plant because of the super-cooled state. However, the carbon emitted groundwater, and soil vapor was done to determine the high carbon costs associated with transportation and in processing the gas into LNG causes it to be, extent of contamination. processing of the source material. T ese European according to some studies, even more harmful than In 2011, contaminated soil was excavated biomass facilities typically source their fuel from coal. In a study by Oil Change International, it was under a $200,000 Brownsfi eld grant from the U.S. U.S. forests, shipping biomass across the Atlantic. found that the “project would emit over 37 million Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). T e metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution—15 times Humboldt Area Foundation and individual donors the emissions of the Boardman coal plant, which contributed $40,000 in matching funds required by is to be closed in 2020. Jordan Cove would be the the EPA. After excavating the contaminated soil, largest greenhouse gas emitter in the state, which bioremediation chemicals were injected to further should be a primary concern for Oregonians—and decrease the levels of perc in the groundwater. the entirety of the West Coast.” Unfortunately that failed, and although levels are lower Although the project promises to provide than they once were, there are remaining traces of the economic revitalization to Coos Bay, Lesley shares chemical and its breakdown products that must be that she’s “in support of economic revitalization that removed. T anks to the State Water Board, NEC will also is a smart move for future generations.” Pembina’s now have the resources to fully clean up the site. T e VolunteerVolunteer SpotlightSpotlight proposal, like many other pipelines, promises process is expected to take several years. Susan Nolan to introduce jobs to the area. Although a couple thousand workers will be hired for construction, only How long have you been volunteering with NEC? about 150 permanent jobs would be created. I have volunteered at the NEC on and off since the 90s, if As the third iteration of the Jordan Cove project, not the 80s—fi rst helping with EcoNews layout back in the current proposal will be evaluated for permitting Visualize the days when it was called paste-up (because articles, by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Your Ad Here graphics and ads were physically glued onto heavy later this year. A public hearing and comment period call 822-6918 or email [email protected] cardstock to go to the printer). Sid Dominitz held sway as editor and ran paste-up with all the frenzy of a big city will coincide with the release of an environmental newpaper going to press. In 2003-4 Tim McKay hired me impact statement (EIS) later in the year. to be general offi ce gofer, balancing the cash register A coalition made up of organizations, landowners, for the gift shop, typing up articles for the now-digitized businesses, climate activists, conservationists and EcoNews, answering the phone, cleaning the offi ce, and concerned citizens is working together to keep generally fi lling in the low spots as needed. fracked gas exports out of Oregon. T e No LNG/ Words for future volunteers? It’s more fun to be part No Pipeline Coalition members include Rogue of an event by pitching in—you meet people, get to Riverkeeper, Rogue Climate, Columbia Riverkeeper, understand the organization better, and do something Oregon Coast Alliance, and many more! Visit the positive. coalition website at http://www.nolngexports.org to A fairly recent photo of Susan’s foot with a bear paw print, taken stay updated. in the western Trinities while researching Forest Service grazing Take Action: To add your voice to the many leases. Photo courtesy of Susan Nolan. who are calling for Oregon’s elected leaders to stand with communities to stop the fracked gas pipeline, and instead commit to speeding our transition to clean energy and greater energy effi ciency, sign the petition at http://www.nolngexports.org/sign- the-petition/.

Carol Ann Conners 707-725-3400 654 Main Street, Fortuna [email protected] CA License #0E79262

19 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews Water Tax Bill Forest Carbon Plan News f om the Center Continued f om page 7 Continued f om page 8 Continued f om page 2

...in the #NoWaterTax Campaign and were ...close relationship with the timber industry. With the decline of reporters in our local media, represented in the May meeting by their Region 1 His wife, Anne Gust Brown, served for 14 years the lack of focused environmental reporting has left Vice Chair, Dennis Mayo. Mayo not only reiterated in numerous top level roles for T e Gap, the retail many members of the public completely uninformed some of the major concerns about the water tax bill, chain owned by the Fisher family of San Francisco. on the many assaults on our local environment. T is but also sought to dissolve the dichotomy between Also owned by the Fisher family: Humboldt is a huge void. T erefore, we’re excited to announce water agencies who oppose the bill and those who Redwood Company and Mendocino Redwood that the Northcoast Environmental Center has hired support it in the interest of helping disadvantaged Company, making them the largest owners of its own journalist. A recent HSU graduate, Hannah communities gain access to clean water. redwood forests in the world. Robert Fisher, oldest Sargent will be helping fi ll the gaps between what “As water agencies, we don’t want to be put over of the Fisher family dynasty, was appointed by the city, county, and agency offi cials are deciding and here. We’re right here in the middle of it,” Mayo Governor to serve on the Strategic Growth Council, what the local public knows. Her articles will be insisted. “We care about our environment, we care a little-known cabinet-level agency key to Governor available in EcoNews and on our new website. about safe drinking water for the public delivered at Brown’s planning for climate change. We’ve also hired Casey Cruikshank as our new an aff ordable price for disadvantaged communities.” A true, science-based Forest Carbon Plan Offi ce Support and Programs Coordinator. Casey is In addition to the environmental concerns would be easy to construct. To increase carbon passionate about clean oceans and will be a great fi t already mentioned, Mayo and others present at the sequestration, grow bigger trees that are capable with the rest of the staff . You can read more about meeting raised concerns about the philosophical of sequestering more carbon per year and are most Casey and Hannah on page 2, and be sure to say hi boundaries that would be crossed by creating a tax able to survive a fi re or beetle outbreak. How do next time you’re in the offi ce. on drinking water. Many members of the Board of we grow bigger trees? We cut less, increasing the We’ve also added three new interns to our offi ce Supervisors were in agreement that the bill poses a rotation age for clearcuts and leaving more, older for the summer: Katlynn Russo as our Ocean Night signifi cant ethical dilemma. trees when utilizing uneven-aged forestry. Besides intern, Haley Isaacson as Special Programs intern, “We can’t just go down this road of taxing the resulting in increased carbon sequestration, this and Destiny Mancilla as Coastal Cleanup intern. necessities of life,” argued Second District Supervisor management strategy has a myriad of co-benefi ts, We hope you’ll join us for this year’s Summer Estelle Fennell, echoing the concerns of Mayo and from improving wildlife habitat and clean water to Slough Social on August 26! Following the success others who oppose SB 623. “We don’t tax food, let’s helping to mitigate for the eff ects of climate change we’ve had at previous house parties, this party not tax water…What’s next, are we going to tax air?” by promoting conditions that keep forests cool. will be at another gorgeous location, fi lled with Despite the arguments that have been made delicious food, music, and tasty beverages. T is against SB 623, there are still many who support location also has a swimming pool for all to enjoy this water tax bill. One group that supports the bill (clothing required), plus easy access to the slough is the Western United Dairymen, who sent local for those with kayaks or canoes (bring your representative Melissa Lema. Lema explained to Mailbox own!). We’ll have to keep the cars and people to a meeting attendees why dairy farmers are in favor minimum, so get your limited ticket now before of passing this bill, stating that local organic dairies Letters to they run out! We’ll only be selling 60 tickets for are being hit the hardest by the regulations imposed the Editor this intimate experience. See the ad on the back on their industry. “T e reason that we’re supporting page of this issue for the link to purchase tickets. this is the protection from liability that it off ers Dear Editor, to producers,” Lema mentioned in her statement to the Board. P.O.O.P. (Pet Owners on Poop) Patrol –“Cleaning Where are T ey Even First District Vice-Chairperson Rex Bohn, up the environment one poop bag at a time”—asks Continued f om page 9 who hasn’t taken an offi cial position on SB 623, all dog owners to take an extra poop bag with you on reminded attendees that, while it’s easy for people your dog walks and pick up an extra dog poop pile ...Program Assistant for the Napa County in Humboldt County to oppose the bill, this issue someone else’s dog left behind. Resource Conservation District (RCD). For the past largely aff ects the disadvantaged communities in Taking an extra bag to pick up dog poop left by two and a half years at the RCD, Jemma has had the the Central Valley who don’t have the means to other dog owners helps us to feel less frustrated, and opportunity to use both communication and fi eld advocate for themselves. Bohn explained that the really makes a diff erence! skills for projects in environmental education, water issue in those communities is a direct eff ect of the Dog waste is high on the list of causes of management, conservation planning, oak woodland pollution caused by the agriculture industry in that contaminated water, and also contaminates the restoration, fi sheries monitoring, and coordinating region—which we benefi t from every day, as we go surrounding soil. Just one gram of dog feces can carry a wildlife lecture series and street and creek trash to the supermarket and buy fresh produce that was 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, including E. coli, as cleanups throughout Napa County. grown in the Central Valley. well as parasites and diseases that humans and dogs She is excited to be starting her next endeavor Ultimately, the Board agreed that this is a big can catch. Even if you aren’t near a creek or the bay, and tool box builder position in June with WRA issue that needs to be dealt with, but many felt runoff from rainfall carries pathogens from dog poop Environmental Consulting in Emeryville as a Junior that rather than passing SB 623, we should look for into storm drains, ending up in far away streams, rivers, Project Manager/Biologist, helping to plan and another way to solve the problem. beaches, lakes, groundwater, and drinking water. implement restoration projects throughout the It is clear from this discussion that this is an Help keep our environment healthy and our dog Bay Area. Jemma’s journey through just some of extremely complicated and highly nuanced issue. walks pleasant. Find us on Facebook: https://www. the many avenues that exist within environmental While no action has been taken by the Board yet, facebook.com/PetOwnersOnPoopPatrol/. Spread the research, restoration, and conservation has been this bill will certainly warrant more attention from word and take action. very rewarding, educational, and meaningful. legislative bodies in the coming months. - Emily Siegel, Eureka T anks for the kickoff , NEC!

EcoNews Jun/Jul 2018 www.yournec.org 20 Dragonfl ies & Damselfl ies Morgan Corviday Can you tell which one Dragonfl ies and damselfl ies are some of the most is the damselfl y? captivating and enigmatic of fl ying insects. With Right, clockwise: Widow skimmer their long transparent wings and bright colors, these (Libellula luctuosa). Photo: D. Huntington, voracious predators were some of the fi rst fl ying OdonataCentral, CC. Western red damsel (Amphiagrion abbreviatum). Photo: R.A. insects and have changed very little from ancestors Behrstock, OdonataCentral, CC. Common that darted through the air 300 million years ago, green darner (Anax junius). Photo: Cletus Lee, Flickr, CC. long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Below left: Illustration of dragonfl y and Dragonfl ies and damselfl ies are part of the order damselfl y wings. The top illustration Odonata. Worldwide, there are over 6000 species is an upper dragonfl y wing, below is a damselfl y wing (note the narrowing of odonates, with new species continuing to be at the base). Illustration: Maxwell discovered (in 2016, 60 new species were named in Lefroy, Wikimedia Commons, CC. Africa alone). Approximately 450 species are found in the U.S. (316 dragonfl y species and 131 damselfl y species). T e website OdonataCentral. com lists 63 species found in Humboldt County. Odonates are aquatic insects—reliant on freshwater for reproduction—and are found around rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, and swamps. Depending on the species, their eggs are laid either in water or on vegetation near water, and the nymphs (which molt up to 15 times before becoming an adult) also live and hunt in or near water. Odonate nymphs will eat anything they can grab and hold on to—including small fi sh. Adult odonates are agile hunters with unique fl ight abilities. Because each of their four wings beat independently, they can fl y forward, backward, and even hover (including hovering up and down like a helicopter) for short periods. T ey will eat any insect small enough to catch while in fl ight. A single dragonfl y can eat hundreds and also positively correlates to the species of mosquitos per day. richness of vascular plants in the area. So seeing a Some species are highly localized, while others lot of dragonfl ies and damselfl ies is a good sign! range widely. About 50 of the world’s Odonata species Both dragonfl ies and damselfl ies have large eyes have been found to seasonally migrate, like birds (covering most of their head); long, thin, segmented Save the Date do, following weather and rain patterns favorable to bodies; and long, fi nely-veined, transparent wings. So for the their life cycle needs. Some dragonfl ies even make how can you tell the diff erence between dragonfl ies epic journeys across open ocean, covering distances and damselfl ies? T ere are several distinguishing that dwarf that of Monarch butterfl ies (well-known characteristics. ALL SPECIES for their long, four-generation migrations). 1 - Body size. Dragonfl ies are typically bulkier Odonates are bioindicators—meaning that their and have thicker abdomens than those of damselfl ies. presence, abundance, and diversity are indicative of 2 - Eye size. T e extra-large eyes of dragonfl ies PARADE high water quality and the health of the surrounding nearly cover their entire head, touching or nearly environment. Odonate density and abundance is touching across the top. Damselfl y eyes are located Saturday, September 15 directly related to the populations of prey species, more to the sides and distinctly separated on the top. Watch for more details and info on 3 - Wing shape. T e wings of damselfl ies are mask-making workshops in the more or less the same shape, narrowing toward the Aug/Sep issue of EcoNews and on base. T e wings of dragonfl ies are wider overall, our website with the upper wings slightly smaller and tapered www.yournec.org diff erently than the lower wings. 4 - Resting wing position. T e easiest way to tell the diff erence between dragonfl ies and damselfl ies is to notice the position of their wings when not in fl ight. A dragonfl y’s wings remain outstretched at rest, while the wings of most damselfl ies are held together, either upright or alongside the body.

21 www.yournec.org Jun/Jul 2018 EcoNews The Kids’ Page:

and leave all plants, Did you know there Summer is a great also call river when enjoying rivers rocks, and any are many different time to look for and habitats home. We for summer fun, animals you might animals that live in observe some of the are lucky to have a it’s important to find alone. and around rivers? many birds, animals, lot of rivers in our remember that you Look for some Rivers provide water and insects that live region, with a lot are visiting other of these river for fish, but many in and around our of different animals creatures’ homes. creatures on your other creatures rivers. However, and plants that live Be sure to clean next river adventure! in or near them. up after yourself rn Pond Tu Ospreys cific Salmo te rt Pa n es le W s

Western pond turtles can be Ospreys are one of the largest There are f ve species of Pacif c spotted on logs and rocks birds of prey in North America. salmon. They begin life in rivers, soaking in the sun near the river, They eat by snatching f sh of of travel to the ocean to become but they dive quickly under water river surfaces and make nests in an adult, then return to rivers to if seen! They eat f sh and frogs. tall trees surrounding rivers. spawn and deposit eggs.

iver Otter ampreys stern Toa R s L We ds

River otters have dark fur and Commonly mistaken for eels, Western toads like to eat insects webbed feet. They usually eat lampreys live underwater and and worms. They can grow as big f sh, frogs, and turtles. They are have eel-shaped bodies. They use as f ve inches long! Look for frogs very active and swim and play in their mouth to suck on f sh to eat that are brown, tan, and have rivers all year. and move in the water. dark blotches, or spots.

Text: Rebekah Staub. Photos (from top left clockwise): Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife CC; Yathin S Krishnappa, Wikimedia Commons CC; NPS Climate Change, Flickr CC; Ivan Phillipsen, Flickr CC; T. Lawrence, Great Lakes Fishery Commission CC; Dmitry Azovtsev, daphoto.info, CC. Background photo: Scrubhiker, Flickr CC.

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