2009 Annual Report Welcome Pete Dangermond and Ruskin K
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2009 Annual Report Welcome Pete Dangermond and Ruskin K. Hartley Dear Friends, This year, Save the Redwoods League adopted a mission statement to succinctly communicate what we do: “Save the Redwoods League protects and restores redwood forests and connects people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish.” We continued to carry out this mission as we have since 1918, despite the challenging economic climate. With our members’ and partners’ generous support in fiscal year 2008-9, we protected more than 1,100 acres of key redwood forestlands valued at $8 million, and transferred 831 acres to state or national parks or reserves. This work brought the total number of acres the League has protected to more than 181,000. Our work continued as a world leader in two important endeavors: accelerating restoration of the logged Mill Creek forest to a majestic state, and developing a strategy to help redwoods survive rapid climate change. To sustain our work in the future, we continued to grow future redwoods stewards by awarding 37 grants that helped 63,000 children and adults experience and want to protect redwoods. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the generosity of our members and partners. We extend our sincere thanks, and we look forward to your steadfast support to help save redwoods—sources of peace and beauty for people today and in centuries to come. Pete Dangermond Ruskin K. Hartley Board President Executive Director and Secretary Photo: Erin Derkatz Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Welcome Pete Dangermond and Ruskin K. Hartley Dear Friends, This year, Save the Redwoods League adopted a mission statement to succinctly communicate what we do: “Save the Redwoods League protects and restores redwood forests and connects people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish.” We continued to carry out this mission as we have since 1918, despite the challenging economic climate. With our members’ and partners’ generous support in fiscal year 2008-9, we protected more than 1,100 acres of key redwood forestlands valued at $8 million, and transferred 831 acres to state or national parks or reserves. This work brought the total number of acres the League has protected to more than 181,000. Our work continued as a world leader in two important endeavors: accelerating restoration of the logged Mill Creek forest to a majestic state, and developing a strategy to help redwoods survive rapid climate change. To sustain our work in the future, we continued to grow future redwoods stewards by awarding 37 grants that helped 63,000 children and adults experience and want to protect redwoods. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the generosity of our members and partners. We extend our sincere thanks, and we look forward to your steadfast support to help save redwoods—sources of peace and beauty for people today and in centuries to come. Pete Dangermond Ruskin K. Hartley Board President Executive Director and Secretary Photo: Erin Derkatz Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Contents Welcome 03 Mission & Objectives 06 PROTECT 10 Safeguarding Key Watersheds and Ancient Groves RESTORE 16 Returning a Logged Forest to an Inspiring State INSPIRE 20 Growing Future Redwoods Stewards Friends 24 Councillors 31 Financials 32 Photo: Andrea Gingerich Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Contents Welcome 03 Mission & Objectives 06 PROTECT 10 Safeguarding Key Watersheds and Ancient Groves RESTORE 16 Returning a Logged Forest to an Inspiring State INSPIRE 20 Growing Future Redwoods Stewards Friends 24 Councillors 31 Financials 32 Photo: Andrea Gingerich Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Mission: Save the Redwoods League protects and restores redwood forests and connects people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish. Objectives 1. To rescue from destruction representative areas of our primeval forests. 2. To cooperate with California State Parks, the National Park Service and other agencies in establishing redwood parks and other parks and reserves. 3. To purchase redwood groves by private subscription. 4. To foster and encourage a better and more general understanding of the value of primeval redwood or giant sequoia and other forests of America as natural objects of extraordinary interest to present and future generations. 5. To support reforestation and conservation of our forest areas. Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Photo: John Lund/Sam Diephuis, Blend Images, Getty Images Mission: Save the Redwoods League protects and restores redwood forests and connects people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish. Objectives 1. To rescue from destruction representative areas of our primeval forests. 2. To cooperate with California State Parks, the National Park Service and other agencies in establishing redwood parks and other parks and reserves. 3. To purchase redwood groves by private subscription. 4. To foster and encourage a better and more general understanding of the value of primeval redwood or giant sequoia and other forests of America as natural objects of extraordinary interest to present and future generations. 5. To support reforestation and conservation of our forest areas. Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Photo: John Lund/Sam Diephuis, Blend Images, Getty Images Photo: Julie Martin P ROTECT RESTORE INSPIRE Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Photo: Julie Martin P ROTECT RESTORE INSPIRE Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report Photo: Julie Martin This year’s accomplishments, all part of our science- *3. HUMBOLDT PROPERTY: ACQUISITION based Master Plan, include protection of one of the last BUFFERS ANCIENT GROVE remnants of ancient redwood forest in Sonoma County. We also buffered an ancient Humboldt County grove With support from our members and the Preserving that we protected in 1921; expanded the Corridor from Wild California program of the Resources Legacy Fund the Redwoods to the Sea; increased protection for the Foundation, Save the Redwoods League purchased Mattole River and Big River watersheds; and transferred about 46 acres of redwoods surrounded by Humboldt land to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Redwoods State Park (HRSP). This $650,000 acquisition protects the watershed and wildlife habitat in and around In the 2008-9 fiscal year, we and our partners protected the old-growth redwood forest in the park’s historic more than 1,100 acres of redwood forestlands valued at Bolling Grove. We protected the ancient Bolling redwood $8 million and transferred 831 acres to state or national grove in 1921, among the first of our more than 300 parks, reserves and federal wilderness. Despite the transactions that built the state park, which now includes economic downturn, the need to save redwoods from more than 53,000 acres. HRSP contains the largest real-estate development and timber harvesting remains. contiguous ancient redwood forest on Earth. More redwood land is for sale, sometimes for the first time in a generation. With your support, we can continue *4. R KING ANGE PROPERTY: PURCHASE ADDS to save the irreplaceable redwoods. PROTECTED HABITAT Here is a look at our redwood protection accomplishments Our acquisition of about 160 acres expands wildlife in fiscal year 2008-9. habitat in the King Range National Conservation Area. The $370,500 acquisition was an inholding, or privately *1. T DEL NOR E PROPERTY: AGREEMENT SAVES owned land inside the boundary of protected park lands. ANCIENT REDWOODS, SEABIRD HABITAT This purchase strengthens protection of the Mattole River watershed, home to rare or threatened animals, including A land-protection agreement now safeguards 76 acres of coho salmon and two frog species. We acquired this old-growth redwood forest and priority habitat for the rare property with support from the Preserving Wild California marbled murrelet, a seabird that needs ancient trees’ program of the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation and large branches for nest platforms. The agreement covers the Wilderness Land Trust. The land was transferred 298 acres of remote industrial timberland near the mouth to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for of the Klamath River in Del Norte County. In addition, the permanent protection. agreement covers young forest surrounding the old- growth that will grow to provide additional habitat for the *5. CORRIDOR PROPERTY: KEY WATERSHED endangered seabird. Oil-spill mitigation funds supported GAINS MORE PROTECTION this agreement. Safeguarding Key Watersheds and We completed a land transfer that protects threatened *2. GOS LA O N PROPERTY: LAND TRANSFER species and enlarges the Corridor from the Redwoods PROTECTS WATERSHED to the Sea, which connects the King Range National Ancient Groves Conservation Area to Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Save the Redwoods League transferred 39 acres The transfer of land to the BLM expands the Corridor With our members’ and partners’ generous support, Save the Redwoods of adjoining land to Humboldt Lagoons State Park, by 361 acres, including watersheds that are home to increasing protection of the Freshwater Lagoon endangered salmon. Purchased years ago as part of a League was able to protect several key parcels that preserve inspiring watershed and the spectacular Pacific Ocean view larger package, the land was valued at $850,000 when along US Highway 101 for all to enjoy. We acquired the it was transferred in March 2009. old-growth and younger redwoods, promote viable parks and maintain $550,000 property in August 2007 with support from connecting landscapes for current and future generations. our members and the California Coastal Conservancy. Save the Redwoods League 2009 Annual Report * See map on next page savetheredwoods.org 11 Photo: Julie Martin This year’s accomplishments, all part of our science- *3. HUMBOLDT PROPERTY: ACQUISITION based Master Plan, include protection of one of the last BUFFERS ANCIENT GROVE remnants of ancient redwood forest in Sonoma County.